PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder
that affects a person's ability to control movement.
Parkinson's disease also negatively impacts how a person
feels, thinks, sleeps and talks.
• It is the 14th leading cause of death in the US (CDC)
• Approximately 1 million people live with PD a 60,000
people are diagnosed every year
• An estimated 4% of people with PD are diagnosed before
the age of 50
• Men are 1 ½ times more likely to have PD than women
CAUSES
• Causes of most cases are unknown.
• Genetic factors
• Family history
• Atherosclerosis
• Excessive accumulation of oxygen free radicals
• Viral infections
• Head trauma
• Chronic use of antipsychotic drug
• Environmental factors such as heavy metals and pesticides
• Deficiency of dopamine in substantia nigra of brain:
Normally, Nerve cells used dopamine which helps to control
muscle movements. Parkinson's disease is associated with
the decrease level of dopamine resulting from degeneration
of dopamine storage cells in the substance nigra in the basal
ganglion region of the brain.
, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
•Tremor:- Tremor, often the first sign, may be minimal
initially , This tremor can affect handwriting, causing it to trail
off, particularly toward the ends of words. Parkinsonian
tremor is more prominent at rest and is aggravated by
emotional stress or increased concentrations. The hand
tremor is described as “pill rolling” because the thumb and
forefinger appear to move in a rotary fashion as if rolling a
pill, coin, or other small object. Tremor can also involve the
diaphragm, tongue, lips, and jaw but rarely causes shaking of
the head.
• Rigidity:- The second sign of the triad, is the increased
resistance to passive motion when the limbs are moved
through their range of motion. Parkinsonian rigidity is
typified by cog- wheel rigidity, or a jerky quality, as if there
were intermittent catches in the movement of a cogwheel,
when the joint is moved passively.
• Bradykinesia:- Bradykinesia is particularly evident in
the loss of automatic movements, which is secondary to the
physical and chemical alteration of the basal ganglia and
related structures in the extrapyramidal portion of the CNS.
Postural Instability: Impaired or lost
Reflexes can make it difficult to adjust posture to maintain
balance. Postural instability may lead to fall.
• Other symptoms includes:-
1. Stooped posture
2. Masked face (deadpan expression)
3. Drooling of saliva
4. Shuffling gait (festination).
Parkinson's disease is a progressive nervous system disorder
that affects a person's ability to control movement.
Parkinson's disease also negatively impacts how a person
feels, thinks, sleeps and talks.
• It is the 14th leading cause of death in the US (CDC)
• Approximately 1 million people live with PD a 60,000
people are diagnosed every year
• An estimated 4% of people with PD are diagnosed before
the age of 50
• Men are 1 ½ times more likely to have PD than women
CAUSES
• Causes of most cases are unknown.
• Genetic factors
• Family history
• Atherosclerosis
• Excessive accumulation of oxygen free radicals
• Viral infections
• Head trauma
• Chronic use of antipsychotic drug
• Environmental factors such as heavy metals and pesticides
• Deficiency of dopamine in substantia nigra of brain:
Normally, Nerve cells used dopamine which helps to control
muscle movements. Parkinson's disease is associated with
the decrease level of dopamine resulting from degeneration
of dopamine storage cells in the substance nigra in the basal
ganglion region of the brain.
, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
•Tremor:- Tremor, often the first sign, may be minimal
initially , This tremor can affect handwriting, causing it to trail
off, particularly toward the ends of words. Parkinsonian
tremor is more prominent at rest and is aggravated by
emotional stress or increased concentrations. The hand
tremor is described as “pill rolling” because the thumb and
forefinger appear to move in a rotary fashion as if rolling a
pill, coin, or other small object. Tremor can also involve the
diaphragm, tongue, lips, and jaw but rarely causes shaking of
the head.
• Rigidity:- The second sign of the triad, is the increased
resistance to passive motion when the limbs are moved
through their range of motion. Parkinsonian rigidity is
typified by cog- wheel rigidity, or a jerky quality, as if there
were intermittent catches in the movement of a cogwheel,
when the joint is moved passively.
• Bradykinesia:- Bradykinesia is particularly evident in
the loss of automatic movements, which is secondary to the
physical and chemical alteration of the basal ganglia and
related structures in the extrapyramidal portion of the CNS.
Postural Instability: Impaired or lost
Reflexes can make it difficult to adjust posture to maintain
balance. Postural instability may lead to fall.
• Other symptoms includes:-
1. Stooped posture
2. Masked face (deadpan expression)
3. Drooling of saliva
4. Shuffling gait (festination).
