...Parkinson’s Disease Carley Drye Bio 330-002 Dr. Blais Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that falls under the category of motor disorders. It is caused by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons, which allow for the ability to move with ease. The four signature symptoms of PD are a resting tremor, stiffness, slowness of movement, and postural instability. The disease is most common in people over the age of fifty and also affects more men than women. 6,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with the disease. There are currently no consistent blood or imaging tests that indicate a person has Parkinson’s. Instead, a complete family history is taken, and a neurological examination is performed by the physician to test for the most common symptoms. There is presently no cure for this progressive disease, but several treatments have been developed that effectively treat many of the symptoms. The discovery of Parkinson’s disease began in 1817 when James Parkinson wrote a book after observing several patients in his hospital with what he called a “shaking palsy” (1). Fifty years later, in 1867, the scientist Jean-Martin Charcot broadened the description of the disease. He and his students were able to distinguish PD from multiple sclerosis and other diseases characterized by tremoring. Additionally, they developed a clinical spectrum for the disease based on different typed of symptoms (1). They had observed that...
Words: 2971 - Pages: 12
...Diseases are sometimes extremely devastating and cruel. Some diseases move very rapidly while others are slow and painful. Treatments are sometimes useful yet other times nothing can stop the silent beasts that lurk in the body. Parkinson’s disease is a slow moving disease that slowly corrupts the brain. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic motor disorder that causes tremors, rigidity, slowed body movements, unstable posture and abnormal gait. This happens when neurons, nerve cells, in a part or the brain called the substantial nigra gradually die. These cells normally produce dopamine, a chemical that helps relay messages between areas of the brain that control body movement. The death of the cells leads to abnormal low levels of dopamine, and causes difficulty in controlling muscle tension and muscle movement both at rest and during periods of activity. PD as of now affects about 500,000 Americans, with about 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It is generally a disease that affects people of late or middle age at about age 60 however about 5 percent of patients have early-onset PD and are younger than 40 years old when symptoms begin. PD is slightly more common in men then women. So far scientists have not determined the reason why some people develop PD and others do not. Some experts blame a process called oxidation. During oxidation unstable molecules that areproduced in the brain as a result of its normal chemical reactions which ultimately damage the brain. Another...
Words: 3594 - Pages: 15
...Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects four major areas which are: the motor system, cognitive or thought changes, behavioral and emotional changes, and the autonomic nervous system. Symptoms of PD may be subtle at first and usually progress very slowly. They are often thought to be part of normal aging. However, early symptoms strongly correlated with eventual PD diagnosis include impaired sense of smell, constipation, slow reaction time, excessive daytime sleepiness, and impaired executive function (the brain's cognitive tasks that include organizing information, solving problems, forming concepts, and making decisions). Atlas, S., Matthews, J. R., Fritsvold, E., & Vinall, P. E. (2014). Ella’s father, Frederic is often referred to as the “shakey grandpa” by the grandchildren and great grandchildren due to the manifestation of some symptoms of his Parkinson’s disease. Joe who is Frederic’s grandson might see things differently and understand why his grandfather is called “shakey grandpa” as compared to Ella’s husband John who is superstitious. He might even tell the grandchildren Frederic is possessed with bad spirits that’s why he shakes. Even though he might understand that it is a disease he might be in denial and not accept it. There are challenges that a person with Parkinson's disease confronts. There will be times when he or she can function almost normally and then other times when he or she will be very dependent. This is a natural...
Words: 302 - Pages: 2
...Parkinson’s Disease Part 1 Melissa Whisman King University NURS 3005 Pathophysiology Jessica Belnap Parkinson’s Disease Part 1 Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common and complex neurodegenerative disorder. It is second only to Alzheimer’s disease in commonality (Lees, A. J.,2011). Parkinson’s disease is a slowly progressive degenerative disorder and is usually idiopathic. The first extensive description of Parkinson’s Disease was written over 2 hundred years ago. In 1817, English physician James Parkinson write an essay describing six causes of a condition called paralysis agitans (Lees, A.J., 2011). The essay, titled “Essay on the Shaking Palsy” described characteristic traits such as resting tremor, abnormal posture and gait, paralysis, and decreased muscle strength, and the way the condition progressed over a period of time (Lees, A.J., 2011). Early neurologists such as Trousseau, Gowers, Kinnier Wilson, and Erb made contributions to the knowledge of Parkinson’s disease. But the most noteworthy was Jean-Martin Charcot. His specific studies between 1868 and 1881 proved to be the turning point in gaining knowledge about the disease (Lees, A.J., 2011). During this particular period of time, Charcot was able to distinguish between muscle rigidity, muscle weakness, and the slowness of movement, also known as bradykinesia. Charcot was instrumental in renaming the disease in honor of James Parkinson. In 1912, Frederic Lewy observed microscopic particles in the...
Words: 2250 - Pages: 9
...first sign of Parkinson’s disease and the most common, stiffness or slowing of body movement also can be signs of the onset of the disease. Even though many people have never seen nor have knowledge of Parkinson’s disease it is real, and it is a disorder that is progressive and involves the nervous system affecting your everyday movement. Your face shows little or no expression any more, if you have not learned to hide your expressions it maybe an early sign of Parkinson’s disease. The signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease will vary with each individual, and since early signs can be mild it is possible they are also unnoticed. This disease starts on one side of the body first, before the second side is affected, but the first side will always remain the worst. Some of the signs and symptoms may include: tremor or shaking which usually begins in your hands or fingers, slowed movement (bradykinesia) over time can occur, rigid or stiff muscles can occur in many parts of the body, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements (blinking, smiling, swing of arms when walking), speech changes, and changes in how a person writes. The cause of Parkinson’s disease still remains unknown, but there are several factors that seem to play a part in it. There are certain genetic mutations that have been identified that can cause Parkinson’s disease, but they are rare. There are certain gene variations that appear to increase the risk of this disease. If exposed...
Words: 797 - Pages: 4
...Abbey Ward Period 1 Parkinson’s disease Symptoms and Diagnosis Parkinson’s disease, other known as PD, is motor system disorder. The trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw and face are main symptom of PD; along with stiffness of limbs, slow movements, impaired balance and/or coordination. If symptoms begin to become worse patients with PD may difficulty walking, talking, or even completing simple tasks. A diagnosis can be made by looking at the patient’s medical history and a neurological exam sometimes a brain scan or labs test may be done to rule out the possibilities of other diseases. Etiology PD is caused by low dopamine levels, a chemical that is involved in controlling movements. Low levels happen when the brain makes dopamine break down; there is no known cause for the breakdown to occur. Scientists believe that PD may have links with genetics and/or age. Pathogenesis The lack of dopamine in the basal ganglia, where most of motor controls are located, causes the motor functions to be greatly affected. This lends to the constant trembling within the hands, arms, legs, etc. The trembling throughout the body limbs can cause balancing and/or coordination problems. Epidemiology PD can affect anyone no matter what their social or economic class, or even geographic area. About fifty thousand American are diagnosed with PD. Statistics show that it affects men more often than women, along with affecting whites more than African Americans or Asians. Age is an...
Words: 297 - Pages: 2
...------------------------------------------------- Cellular Disease: Parkinson’s Disease One characteristic that all living beings share is the fact that they are considered to be highly organized, complex creatures. One of the most complex creatures are human beings. The human body contains thousands of genes, proteins and other cellular membranes. Each cell responds to chemical signals from the body or the environment and modifies its behavior in response to signals (Tremblay, 2010). When these cells behave differently from their intended design, the dysfunction is called cellular disease. Cellular disease can include a mutation of the DNA cells, an increase of the amount of cells, insufficiencies in existing cells, or loss of vital cells. Parkinson disease is considered to be one of the most common cellular diseases. It affects the nervous system and causes its victims to experience loss of muscle control. The disease takes place when there is a problem with certain nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells produce a chemical called dopamine that sends signals to the part of the brain that controls movement. It allows muscles to move smoothly and operate as intended (WebMd, 2005). When the cellular disease known as Parkinson’s is present, these nerve cells break down causing a scarcity in the dopamine that is being produced. When there is a deficiency in dopamine, the body tends to move uncontrollably. Parkinson disease is considered a chronic illness. As time progresses...
Words: 1147 - Pages: 5
...arkinson's Disease: Is It All In the Brain? :: 6 Works Cited :: 6 Sources Cited Length: 1098 words (3.1 double-spaced pages) Rating: Red (FREE) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Parkinson's Disease: Is It All In the Brain? "When I should go lay down on the couch, but I know that I will never find a comfortable position, so if I'm to be uncomfortable, it may as well be here, in front of this gently glowing screen. I feel the last of last night's meds burn away in my throat and then the dreaded "heebie-jeebies" come" (6). Parkinson's disease otherwise named the "shaking palsy" in 1817 by James Parkinson affects 50,000 Americans every year. The risk of the disease is higher amongst men giving them twice risk of developing Parkinson's disease compared to women (5). It is not clear why men are more prone to getting the disease, but it may be related to them not having the female hormone estrogen. (5). The general population that is at risk for developing Parkinson's disease are people older than fifty (1,5).The disease is related to a motor system disorder that cause the patient's hands, legs, jaw, face, and arms to tremor. Parkinson's disease may also cause bradykinesia (slowness of movement) as well as a loss of balance, and a difficulty in doing ordinary daily activities such as walking, talking, eating, and writing (1,2,5). How does this disease then affect the I-Function? If we already have all of our learned capabilities...
Words: 1183 - Pages: 5
...Parkinson’s Disease The genetic disorder I chose as my final project is Parkinson’s disease. I chose this topic because I have had numerous patients with Parkinson’s disease and I wanted to learn more about it. Before my research, I didn’t know much about the genetic structures or processes that are involved with Parkinson’s, I just knew the symptoms my patients exhibited, some of which included: uncontrollable tremors, slow motor decline where the patient became unable to feed/dress/take care of self, and mental decline with dementia/hallucinations (www.pdf.org, 2014, para: symptoms). In my experience, it is a hard disease to control later in life because it tends to be a slow progressing disease, which tends to leave the patient completely...
Words: 884 - Pages: 4
...Introduction Parkinson's disease may be described as a progressive neurological disorder, it arises from degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain responsible for co-ordinating movement. The neuronal damage results in a shortage of the brain signalling chemical (neurotransmitter) known as dopamine, resulting in the movement impairments which characterize the disease. 71% of Parkinson’s disease cases are due to a sporadic cause, usually influenced by environmental factors. (1) However, Parkinson’s disease may also be caused by genetic mutations of 13 genetic loci, PARK1-13. These mutations may cause autosomal dominant or recessive Parkinson’s disease. Six of the thirteen loci feature genes which have been discovered and published by...
Words: 289 - Pages: 2
...Parkinson’s disease (PD) can be defined as a neurodegenerative illness, in which there is a deficit of dopamine in the body. The body suffers from this in many different ways: impaired gait, bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, diminished expression, kyphotic posture, seborrhoea, and sialorrhea (Baatile et al, 2000). There have been many studies related to the effect of exercise training on patients with Parkinson’s disease. Campbell et al found that exercise allows for dopamine to be synthesized in any remaining dopaminergic cells, which reduces symptoms of PD (2008). The most common question researchers want to solve is “Does physical activity benefit individuals living with PD?” In the bulk of studies where PD subjects accomplished an exercise...
Words: 548 - Pages: 3
...Quality of life of a person with Parkinson’s disease and the relationship between the time of evolution and the severity of the disease Fabiana Magalhães Navarro-Peternella1 Sonia Silva Marcon2 Parkinson’s disease can cause disability and decrease the quality of life in its sufferers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of a group of people with Parkinson’s disease and whether a relationship exists between time of evolution and severity of the disease. Secondary analysis was carried out on transversal data collected from 40 individuals with Parkinson’s disease registered in the Parkinson’s Association of Maringá, in MaringáPR-Brazil. Measures: three instruments were applied: a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Hoenh and Yahr Scale and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). According to PDQ-39, men referred to a lower quality of life, although, statistically, there was no significant difference between the two genders. Differences were only observed in the dimensions of “activities of daily living” and “social support”, in which men presented higher impairment, and “emotions” and “bodily discomfort”, where women showed higher impairment. Furthermore, severity of disease tended to lead to a perception of lower quality of life regarding the dimensions of “activities of daily living” and “cognition”, which is relevant to improve clinical guidance and intervention. Descriptors: Parkinson’s Disease; Chronic Disease; Quality of Life. 1 2 MSc...
Words: 1824 - Pages: 8
...Using Caenorhabditis elagans to Investigate Oxidative Stress in Parkinson’s disease Abstract Oxidative stress is thought to play a part in the advancement and progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the fact that it is at present considered a trademark of such procedures, the intertwining of a multitude of signaling cascades deters the complete comprehension of the direct role played by oxidative stress in neurodegeneration. Notwithstanding its broad use as a model used for aging, a few scientists have turned to Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to further explore molecular mediators that either intensify or guard against receptive oxygen species (ROS) - interceded neurodegeneration. Because of their completely mapped genome,...
Words: 976 - Pages: 4
...year 1817, a man named James Parkinson diagnosed the disease once known as ‘shaking palsy,’ as Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a central nervous system disorder that affects around 1.5 million people in America alone. James Parkinson was a doctor in London where he wrote a paper about the symptoms of Parkinson. Symptoms for Parkinson’s disease are tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Usually these symptoms are caused in result of degeneration of nerve cells in the Mostly older people have a better chance of catching the disease than younger adults. Parkinson’s disease typically begins between the ages of 50 and 65, hitting about 1% of the population in that age group. For many decades there was not...
Words: 1109 - Pages: 5
...Parkinson’s Disease Description Parkinson’s Disease, also known as paralysis agitans, is a chronic and progressive neurological disorder that affects a person’s movement and their ability to function. What that means is that Parkinson’s is long-lasting disease with no cure that will slowly get worse over time. It affects vital cells in a movement control center located in the brain stem called substantia nigra. These cells, or neurotransmitters, are responsible for producing dopamine which regulates movement and emotions. In a person diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, these neurotransmitters are either malfunctioning or dying off, thus creating a decrease in the amount of dopamine produced. Etiology (Cause) Scientists are currently at a...
Words: 1156 - Pages: 5
