World Parkinson's Disease Day 2018: The Symptoms, Causes and Treatment of This Progressive Neurological Disorder

Every year, World Parkinson’s Disease Day is observed on April 11 to commemorate Dr. J Parkinson’s birthday, the physician who first discovered “paralysis agitans,” a disease that later came to be named after him. Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder, affecting an estimated one percent of the world’s population. Some of the common, recognisable features of the disease include muscle tremors, muscle rigidity, mobility problems, stooped posture and a frozen facial expression.

The direct cause of Parkinson’s is the loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra part of the brain, which leads to a shortage of the chemical dopamine, which helps in controlling bodily movements.

Who is at risk?

It’s unclear as to what causes the loss of nerve cells. Researchers suspect it could be a combination of factors. Here are ones who are more at risk.

Men

Several studies have confirmed that men are more at risk of Parkinson’s than women. There are 50 percent more men with Parkinson’s than women. It is believed that the protective role played by oestrogen could be why more women are shielded from the disease. Men also tend to face more occupational hazards than women, making them more prone to Parkinson’s.

Senior citizens

The risk of Parkinson’s disease increases with age. It affects one percent of the people above the age of 60. This risk jumps to 5 percent above the age of 85. Only 5 percent cases are diagnosed before the age of 60. Recently, a 11-year-old from UK was diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Whites

Certain ethnic populations tend to have a higher risk of Parkinson’s than the others. It’s more common among the whites than among blacks or Asians. The Hispanic population is also at an elevated risk. Although the knowledge about the disorder has been present in India since the ancient times, the prevalence of Parkinson’s in India is quite less.

People with a History

Although most cases of Parkinson’s are sporadic, around 15 percent of people with Parkinson’s have either inherited the disease from their parents or have blood relatives with the disorder.

People Suffering from Head Trauma 

Injury or trauma to the head, neck or upper cervical spine is thought to be one of the contributing factors of Parkinson’s.

People Exposed to Toxins

Environmental toxins like pesticides and chemicals tend to increase the risk of the disease. Several studies have found a connection between exposure to toxins and neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Symptoms

The deficiency of dopamine in Parkinson’s patients manifest motor symptoms:

Tremors

The distinct trait of Parkinson’s is tremors or shaking of the hands and legs. It may start as a small tremor in a limb or a finger and progressively get worse.

Rigidity

The limbs or other body parts get stiff or rigid, interfering with the person’s ability to walk or move.

Slowness

Early signs of the disease manifest as slowness of bodily movements and fatigue. The person may also be hesitant to move around and stay confined to one place.

Speech difficulties

The person’s speech may get slurred or unclear due to facial rigidity.

Stooped posture

The body of the person may lean forward due to muscle rigidity or stiffness.

Other symptoms may include handwriting changes, sexual dysfunction, cramps, loss of smell, memory problems, depression, anxiety, digestive problems, pain, drooling, sleep problems, fatigue, hallucinations and paranoia.

Treatment

There’s no cure for Parkinson’s currently. However, with the right medication and treatment, the progression of the disease can be somewhat slowed down and the quality of life of the patient can be improved.

Drugs

Despite the enormous progress made in for the treatment of Parkinson’s, levodopa remains the most popular drug for controlling the symptoms. The drug is a chemical used by the body to convert into dopamine. COMT inhibitors are also given to the patients to block the enzyme that breaks down levodopa. For this reason, COMT inhibitors are taken in conjunction with levodopa. Apart from that dopamine inhibitors, anticholinergics and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitors are also used.

Exercise

High-intensity exercises are not only safe but also effective in bringing down the severity of the disease. A 2017 study says that a total of 150 minutes of physical activity in a week could slow down Parkinson’s progression.

Other forms of treatment include physiotherapy, speech therapy and deep brain stimulating surgery in some cases. Nutritional intervention to help with constipation and to improve brain and bone health is also required.

Life with Parkinson’s can be very challenging for the person. Over time, when the disease progresses, the disease can compromise the sufferer’s independence, as he or she grows increasingly reliant on the caregiver, making it as challenging for the caregiver as it is for the sufferer. Although Parkinson’s doesn’t directly cause death, it can bear down on the person’s body, leaving it susceptible to life-threatening illnesses. It doesn’t help that people with Parkinson’s also end up suffering from depression as either a direct consequence of dopamine deficiency or due to the limitations caused by the disease. That's why, World Parkinson’s Day is observed with the intention of increasing public awareness about the condition and facilitating early detection of the disease.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 11, 2018 01:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).