Parkinson’s disease (PD)

    Both chronic and Progressive, Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder which commences when dopamine producing cells, in the substantia nigra, begin to malfunction and die over time. Dopamine is a chemical messenger in your body which transmits signals to parts of the brain that coordinate and initiate movement. And in the course of one’s suffering of Parkinson’s disease, these dopamine cells are terminated for unexplained reasons. Their rate of death then picks up consequently stumping the quantity of dopamine production.

    It is estimated that 1 million or so Americans suffer from Parkinson’s, and more than 75% of those victims are diagnosed after reaching the age of 50.  Although the cause is unknown and no major cure is currently present, there are medicating and surgery options to reduce the effect of the symptoms.

    Although there are common symptoms shared by the diseased people, there are many more symptoms that vary and are different between people. The progression of the disease varies in speed between all. Some might suffer more, for their progression is rapid, while others will suffer at a lesser rate, but over a longer time when their symptom worsening is at a slow progression. Such commonly shared sympyoms consist of

1.       Constant shaking tremor of limbs, Face Muscles, and Jaw

    When the disease hasn’t developed as much in one’s brain, 7 out of 10 experience a constant tremor in their hands and legs (sometimes in the face and jaw). It is described as a “beating” movement. It is known as a resting tumor since it occurs more often when the muscle is relaxed.

This indicates that the tremor usually is present after a loss of activity. As the disease progresses more and more, so does the tremor. It will even spread to different parts of the body.

2.       Slowness of movement (Bradykinesia)

    In this symptom, your voluntary muscle movements are slowed down, and they begin to slow down drastically as the disease progresses and worsens. Many will have problems, even with having the ability to start movements. When this is added to stiffening limbs (also a symptom of Parkinson’s) the amount of times a patient stumbles or falls increases. They might even find themselves getting stuck, this is when they cannot begin or stop walking/moving.

3.       Loss of balance and coordination

4.       Stiffness in limbs and trunk

    This is a symptom that includes the stiffness of muscles or inflexibility of them. Because of  the “rigityness” of the muscles, it decreases the rate and length your muscles can stretch to, for it decreases muscle contraction and relaxation. It will even cause cramps in addition to searing pains.

    But often in PD, there are secondary symptoms that are soon to follow. Speech issues such as slurred or stuttering talking habits, a stooped posture (such as leaning forward or backwards) are all caused by a lack of muscle control. There are many more symptoms to follow. More speech changes, loss of facial expression, difficulty in swallowing/drooling, pain, dementia/confusion, constipation, skin problems, depression, fear/anxiety, memory losses/hard time thinking, loss of energy, fatigue, and even urinary problems.

    The cause of Parkinson’s is yet to be solved, chemicals, and mechanisms have been suggested to cause an increasing amount of cell death.  These include…

Oxidative damage (due to stress)

Unstable molecules whose toxic effects are believed to be caused by oxidation are theorized to contribute to cell death, consequently leading to Parkinson’s. Oxidation, in the brain, is hypothesized to cause death and increase damage in tissues. As a result, antioxidants are now to be used as an attempt to slow down the disease.

Mitochondial dysfunction

In our cells, we have small organelles known as mitochondria which break down food suplements and convert it to energy for cell usage. An increasing dysfunction of the mitochondria were found in scientific research to cause cell death to accelerate. So in this theory, scientisits are now investigating if this plays a role in Parkinson’s disease.

Excitotoxicity

Excitotoxicity is the result of an over production of neurotransmitters leading to an increase of cell death. This cause has already been found in Parkinsons’s. Finding a way to now balance the production of neurotransmitants may be able to cause less cases of the disease and slow it down.

There are also genetic factors in which it has been found that 15%-25% of all patients have relatives who have had Parkinson’s . Again, after scientific study, it has been found that there is a defective gene, uncommonly found in families to which Parkinson’s disease may be inherited. 

Other causes include environmental factors which include rural living toxins such as MPTP which cause death to dopmaine and slow down its production.

Credits: Brain disorders source book.