Published on Mar 20, 2015 and last reviewed on Jun 21, 2022 - 2 min read
Abstract
This article discusses the historical aspects of Parkinsonism and, the evidence based approaches currently available for its treatment. Focus is also given to the non-motor manifestations and the neurobehavioral abnormalities. Both medical and surgical modalities of treatment find a mention.
Parkinsonism is a syndrome manifested by a combination of six cardinal features. They are:
James Parkinson in 1817 wrote '' An Essay on the Shaking Palsy'' in which he described 6 cases which had a combination of the aforementioned features. He had observed these individuals on the streets of London.
Charcot in the nineteenth century acknowledged Parkinson's contribution and referred to this condition as ''maladie de Parkinson''. A century after ''An Essay on the Shaking Palsy'' was written, loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra was identified as the pathological basis of this disease.
Pain in Parkinson's disease is common, but it is often overlooked by non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). It can cause several types of pain associated with physical changes. PD is primarily diagnosed in old age people, so it can be difficult to distinguish between pain related to PD and pain related to old age.
The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, so there is no specific prevention method. However, it is believed that caffeine and green tea may lower the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Also, doing regular exercise and staying active may lower the risk.
Memory problems and thinking difficulties are among the most worrying symptoms of Parkinson's. This can have a significant impact on the quality and functioning of life, and treating the cognitive changes will be a top priority for Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's is very rare to run in families. Only a few cases have been reported as hereditary. Most people with PD have idiopathic Parkinson's, meaning there is no known cause for its development.
Parkinson's disease is considerably more common among the white population and is found more commonly in the Northeastern and Midwest US. However, it is also seen affecting the black population and Asians. The prevalence of this disease is more common in urban countries than in rural countries.
Parkinson's disease is named after James Parkinson, in 1817, who described a shaking palsy disorder. The term was cast by William Rutherford Sanders of Edinburgh in 1865. It was earlier known as shaking palsy or paralysis agitans because of the symptoms the Parkinsons' patients possess.
Parkinson's disease was treated based on empirical observation and anticholinergic medications during the nineteenth century. Later the discovery of dopaminergic shortage in Parkinson's disease laid the path to the first human trials of Levodopa.
Levodopa, also called L-DOPA, is the most effective drug in treating symptoms of Parkinson's disease. This drug will be suggested to Parkinson's patients at some point. Fatigue, nausea, and orthostatic hypotension are the side effects of this drug.
People with Parkinson's disease have a shorter lifespan when compared to healthy people. They may live between 10 and 20 years after diagnosis of this disease. However, factors like the general health of the patient and the patient's age also play a role.
In most cases of Parkinson's, management is by medication. However, a surgery called deep brain stimulation is done in some patients. Although this surgery does not help cure Parkinson's, it can ease the symptoms.
There is no cure for Parkinson's disease yet. People with Parkinson's do not have enough production of the chemical dopamine, which sends messages to different parts of the body to coordinate movement. The halt in production is because some of the nerve cells that produce it have been damaged.
Drugs like Promethazine (Phenergan), Prochlorperazine (Compazine), Tetrabenazine, and Metoclopramide (Reglan) should be avoided by Parkinson's patients as they can worsen the symptoms and cause complications.
Parkinson's disease (PD) has been considered the prototypical neuropsychiatric disorder as it extends beyond movement and often encompasses a range of psychiatric phenomena. This disease can cause uncontrollable and unintended movements of the body because of motor system disorder.
The cause of neuropsychiatry tends to impact brain function, mood, and emotions. The symptoms range from problems with learning and focusing to sadness, memory problems, irritability, depression, mood problems, and various other neurological and psychiatric symptoms.
Personality changes like psychosis, depression, and anxiety can happen in Parkinson's patients due to neurological changes in the brain. The changes may be different in each patient. These changes can be noted by family, friends, and caregivers.
Last reviewed at:
21 Jun 2022 - 2 min read
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