Parkinson’s is a brain disorder that causes movement and non-movement symptomatology in patients. Parkinson’s symptoms include stiffness, shaking, problems walking, coordination and balance issues. Parkinson’s symptoms usually start slowly and worsen over time. As the disease progresses, some people may experience difficulty speaking and walking. Patients with Parkinson’s also experience behavioral and mental problems, such as fatigue, memory issues and depressions. Parkinson’s is more common than other neurological disorders such as Lou Gehrig’s, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis. Both men and women can develop Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s can affect more men than women, but it is still a disease that both genders are susceptible to. Old age is a risk factor that can lead to Parkinson’s. The majority of people with Parkinson’s develop the disease at age 60 or older, but 5-10% of people have Parkinson’s that begins before age 50. Parkinson’s early onset is often, but not always, due to hereditary factors because of certain mutations in genes. The majority of experts describe Parkinson’s as a movement disorder affecting the nervous system. Nearly one million Americans alone suffer from Parkinson’s Disease, and experts predict the number could rise to 1.2 millions in the next decade.
The symptoms of Parkinson’s, which affects the nervous systems, could be due to low levels of dopamine. Experts say that the exact mechanism by which Parkinson’s develops is unknown. However, exposure to certain environmental elements and genetic mutations may be the cause. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease that can be caused by environmental factors such as toxins. Parkinson’s patients have difficulty with voluntary movements such as walking and speech. Dopamine, a brain substance responsible for smooth and coordinated muscle movements in the body, is present. [1]
The substantia-nigra, a specific area of the brain, is responsible for producing dopamine that controls coordinated and smooth movements of the muscles in the body. In Parkinson’s patients, the cells of the substantia begin to die due to genetic mutations. Reduced levels of dopamine affect the majority of smooth and coordinated movements. When dopamine levels fall to 60-80%, symptoms of Parkinson’s begin to appear. Parkinson’s is not curable at the moment. The neurological disorder is chronic, and it gets worse over time. This increases the risk of death. Experts say that Parkinson’s is often not diagnosed until a patient has reached an advanced stage. Parkinson’s is one of 14 the leading causes of death in the world. [2]
