Causes Of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s or PD is a disease that attacks the peripheral nervous system around the age of 50 years old. This devastating disease causes the degeneration of the mind and gets worse with time. It is categorized by the loss of basic mobility, making daily life a real challenge. It causes most motor skills to go away entirely and leaves a person with a resting tremor, akineisa, and muscle stiffness. Parkinson’s is incurable but treatment is available to subdue symptoms. It is genetic and may be caused by some environmental factors. In 175 A.D. it was known as “shaking palsy”, but was named Parkinson’s after the publication of an essay describing the disease by Dr. James Parkinson. Since its first instance, it has been theorized that the real
Akineisa, or slowed movement, affects how people might walk. People with PD find it hard to start and stop movement. Since this disease is progressive, the limbs of the body may stop swaying when walking, the ability of grasping objects with the hands may almost become impossible, as PD decreases dexterity. The stiffening of muscles or rigidity makes body muscles stiff and tense, causing aches and pains. Most of those that are diagnosed with PD have a resting tremor that causes an involuntary quivery movement, especially in the hands. These symptoms usually are found on only one side of the body. Other symptoms of PD include circulation problems and difficulty when concentrating as the disease progresses. A neurologist diagnoses Parkinson’s with several tests. Doctors look at facial expression, the presence of tremors, stiffness of the neck, balance, and the ability to start and stop movement. An MRI of the brain will be done due to the activity of the cerebellum in those with PD. The activity of the brain does not reflect the activity of the body. Unfortunately, there is not a real test to determine whether a person has PD or not. In people with idiopathic Parkinson’s, or the cause of their Parkinson’s is unknown, they will be prescribed Parkinson’s disease medication, which has positive effects when dealing with their symptoms. Researchers are trying to find a gateway in
When the symptoms are not causing immediate harm to the patient, the use of medication is not necessary. Occupational therapy is used to keep up with everyday life. The symptom of rigidity causes the muscles to loose strength. Physiotherapy is also used to help a person gain back some of their dexterity and movement. Deep brain stimulation is used when the side effects of PD is not treatable by medication. Deep brain stimulation is done by surgically putting electrodes in the brain. These electrodes stimulate the activity in the cerebellum and basal ganglia to support