The primary symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are due to excessive muscle contraction. These are muscle rigidity, which as it worsens can lead to slowness of movement (bradykinesia), and at its worst, loss of physical movement (akinesia). Tremor occurs in most but not all people with Parkinson's Disease. These primary symptoms can also lead to walking difficulties, and speech difficulty. There are non muscular symptoms that can also occur such as depression, lethargy, altered sexual function, constipation, and urinary incontinence. There is a tendency for the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease to get progressively worse over many years. For more information double click on Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

DIAGNOSIS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

There are currently no blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in diagnosing Parkinson's Disease. The F-dopa PET scan is occasionally used as an aid in diagnosing Parkinson's Disease as it can show decreased dopamine activity in the basal ganglia. However, diagnosis is usually based on physical observation and questioning of the patients. Commonly used questionnaires are the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the quality of life questionnaires PDQ 39 and PDQL, and to a lesser extent the Hoehn and Yahr scale. However, these symptom questionnaires have a number of inadequacies. The severity of Parkinson's Disease can be better assessed using the following Symptom questionnaire.

PREVALENCE OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

There are estimated to be over 6 million people diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Prevalence estimates range from over 300 per 100,000 in Nebraska, U.S.A., and in a Zoroastrian community in Bombay, to less than 15 per 100,000 amongst the Bulgarian Gypsies, and only 7 per 100,000 in Ethiopia. In 1875, Henri Huchard described a 3 year old with Parkinson's Disease. However, it is uncommon in people younger than 30. The onset of Parkinson's Disease  in countries where it is prevalent tends to be in later decades, and becomes more likely with age. In most countries, except most notably in Japan, more men are affected than women. Parkinson's Disease is more common in some professions such as welding. For more information double click on Prevalence of Parkinson's Disease.

 TOXIC CAUSES OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

There are also a number of toxic substances that may cause Parkinson's disease symptoms. These include Manganese (from mining or welding), Mercury (from sources such as fish, mercury vapour, and gold production), Copper (normally because of Wilson's Disease), Cyanide (usually from potassium cyanide or sodium cyanide drugs), Carbon disulfide (used as a fumigant, solvent or anti-alcoholic drug),  Carbon monoxide (produced from burning fuels), MPTP (a chemical produced during the manufacture of a heroin substitute). Toluene (a solvent), N-Hexane (a constituent of solvents), Paraquat (a herbicide), Maneb (a fungicide),  and Rotenone (a pesticide). For more information double click on Toxic causes of Parkinson's Disease.

TREATMENTS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Primary methods of treating Parkinson's Disease aim at raising dopamine levels. L-dopa in various forms is commonly used because L-dopa is transfomed into dopamine. Dopamine agonists mimic dopamine by stimulating the dopamine receptors. MAO-B inhibitors aim at sustaining dopamine levels. Anti-muscarinics  reduce cholinergic function which lessens the need for dopamine. Nutritional methods such as Dopavite aim at naturally increasing dopamine levels, whilst other nutritional methods such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, MitoQ and Glutathione, aim at reducing the cell damage that often occurs in Parkinson's Disease. Surgical methods used or in development include Deep brain stimulation (DBS), Gene therapy, GDNF therapy, Stem cell therapy, Pallidotomy, Thalamotomy, and Subthalamotomy. For more information double click on Treatments of Parkinson's Disease.

PARKINSONISM    

There are a number of medical disorders, some of whose symptoms can coincide with those of Parkinson's Disease. Consequently somebody  can be wrongly diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease due to having another medical disorder that to some extent merely resembles Parkinson's Disease. These include : Essential Tremor, Hydrocephalus, Encephalitis Lethargica, Wilson's Disease, Cerebellar thoracic outlet syndrome, Vascular Parkinsonism, Hallervorden-Spatz disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Multiple System Atrophy (which includes Shy-Drager syndrome, Striatonigral degeneration, Olivopontocerebellar atrophy), Corticobasal degeneration, Progressive supranuclear palsy, HIV/AIDS, FTDP-17. For more information double click on Parkinsonism.

FAMOUS PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

STRANGE FACTS ABOUT PARKINSON'S DISEASE

PARKINSON'S DISEASE BOOKS

Details and links for the prominent books concerning Parkinson's Disease such as : Parkinson's Disease Questions and Answers, Michael J.Fox's autobiography Lucky Man, Parkinson's Disease for Dummies, Parkinson's Disease : A comprehensive guide, Comprehensive  Nursing Care for Parkinson's Disease, Parkinson's Disease - The comprehensive guide, Understanding Parkinson's Disease, Parkinson's Disease - Reducing symptoms with nutrition and drugs, Parkinson's Disease and the family, The First Year - Parkinson's Disease. For more information double click on Parkinson's Disease Books