Introduction
Bradykinesia is a slow or complex movement. It takes a long time to make everyday movements like lifting or moving the arms or legs. It affects individuals in different ways. Bradykinesia refers to slow motion with a decrease in amplitude and speed. It is a classic symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a nervous system disorder. It is a type of movement disorder. It is a condition where the brain cells do not produce sufficient dopamine. Genetic factors can be one of the causes. However, it mainly occurs due to environmental factors like toxins. The symptoms develop gradually. It is a chronic progressive nervous system disease characterized by postural instability, tremors, and bradykinesia. It is a neurological problem that slowly progresses into a disability. It is characterized by decreased levels of dopamine resulting from degeneration of dopamine storage in the brain's basal ganglia.
What Are Basal Ganglia?
The basal ganglia handle complex processes that affect the entire body. They play several functions, such as emotional processing and learning. It is a group of structures located near the brain's center. The connections help different areas of the brain to work together. It manages the signals of the brain to move the muscles. The basal ganglia interact with others parts of the brain. It controls the voluntary movements o the body. The basal ganglia filter out the incorrect or unnecessary signals of the brain. After approving the signal, the basal ganglia continues to do the motor pathways. The information from the senses, like sound, smell, taste, sight, and touch, is sent to the basal ganglia.
What Are the Functions of Basal Ganglia?
The sensory information helps the basal ganglia to change or refine the movements accordingly. It processes the signals that deal with motivation and emotions. It is not a single structure in the brain. They include several facilities that are located at the center of the brain. They are separate structures that are linked in various ways. The systems that make the basal ganglia are nuclei and ganglia. The common condition that affects basal ganglia is Parkinson’s disease. Ganglions are collections of neurons outside the central nervous system. The basal ganglia plan the movement, and the information from the sensory organs is processed in the basal ganglia. The electrical activity begins in the basal ganglia even before we start the movement. The idea of the movement is passed to the basal ganglia whenever the cerebral cortex initiates the movement. The concept of movement begins from the prefrontal cortex and is carried towards the basal ganglia and then to the thalamus. From there, the electrical impulses are transmitted to the muscles for action. When the movement is initiated, the cortical fibers from the cerebral cortex stimulate the neurons in the basal ganglia. From there, the fibers travel to the thalamus then the information loops back to the cerebral cortex. The fibers from the neurons of the cortex are glutaminergic. The parts of the basal ganglia are -
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Caudal nucleus.
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Globus pallidus.
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Putamen.
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Substantia nigra.
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Ventral pallidum.
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Subthalamic nucleus.
The ganglia forms connections that send signals back and forth. Both excitatory and inhibitory actions take place in the basal ganglia. This excitatory means something is going to happen. Inhibitory means stopping the signal from continuing. The symptoms that affect the basal ganglia are muscle weakness and spasms. Balance and coordination problems, tremors and shakiness, slurred speech, and vision problems.
How Does Basal Ganglia Cause Bradykinesia in Parkinson’s Disease?
Bradykinesia is due to the failure of basal ganglia output to reinforce the cortical mechanisms of the body to prepare and execute the commands for the movements. The deficit is more apparent in the midline motor areas. Bradykinesia is one of the cardinal manifestations of Parkinson’s disease. Weakness, tremors, and rigidity are also symptoms. It is caused due to failure of basal ganglia output. There are abnormalities in sensory-motor and sensorimotor integration.
What Are the Causes of Bradykinesia?
The causes of bradykinesia are due to the changes in the nervous system that affect movement. Specific parts of the central nervous system include the basal ganglia and brain structures such as the primary motor cortex and cerebellum. It occurs in other forms of Parkinson’s disease, such as vascular parkinsonism, that results from changes in the blood supply to the brain. The other causes include-
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Exposure to toxins.
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Fluid in the brain (hydrocephalus).
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Brain tumor.
What Are the Symptoms of Bradykinesia?
The symptoms of bradykinesia are slow movements. The other symptoms include -
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Having no facial expressions.
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Dragging the feet while walking.
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Shuffling when walking.
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Difficulty getting read daily, such as brushing teeth, styling hair, and buttoning clothes.
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Difficulty with repetitive tasks like clapping hands or tapping fingers.
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Loss of ability to speak clearly.
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The patient’s voice gets softer day by day.
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Trouble speaking and swallowing.
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Immobile or frozen muscles.
What Are the Diagnostic Tests for Bradykinesia?
The diagnostic tests for bradykinesia are -
The bradykinesia akinesia incoordination test, also known as the B.R.A.I.N test, is used for bradykinesia. During the trial, the patient taps the keys on the keyboard with alternative fingers for a minute. The score will determine the diagnosis based on the following criteria -
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The time taken to hit the keys.
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The number of correct keys hit
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The number of incorrect keys hit.
What Is the Treatment for Bradykinesia?
The symptoms of Parkinson’s cannot be cured. However, the symptoms are managed with medications. Some medications that increase dopamine actions are Carbidopa-Levodopa, dopamine agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors. Bradykinesia mainly occurs with Parkinson’s disease. The symptoms of the disease are due to low levels of dopamine in the brain. Therefore, the treatment boosts dopamine levels. Apart from medications, the other therapies include deep brain stimulation. Electrodes and neurotransmitters are connected through a wire and are implanted into the brain, and a pacemaker is placed under the skin by a surgeon. The neurostimulator sends electrical impulses along the wire into the brain. The stimulants interfere with the electrical signals of the brain and cause symptoms.
Conclusion
Less invasive therapy includes physical therapy and exercise that improve muscle strength and restore neurological functions. But, again, it is essential to speak with healthcare professionals to ensure the changes are suitable.
