Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder affecting the nervous system and the body’s nerve-controlled regions. The onset of symptoms is gradual. A tremor in one hand that is hardly perceptible may be the initial symptom. Although tremors are common, the disorder can also make you stiff or move more slowly.
You may have little to no expression on your face in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. As you walk, your arms might not swing freely. You might start to speak more slowly or slurred. As your Parkinson’s disease worsens over time, so do its symptoms.
While there is no known cure for it, taking medication may greatly lessen your symptoms. Your doctor may occasionally recommend surgery to treat your symptoms by regulating specific brain regions.
Symptoms
Each person may experience it symptoms differently. Early symptoms might not be noticeable or be mild. Even after symptoms start to affect the limbs on both sides, they typically start on one side of the body and tend to stay worse there.
Among the symptoms of Parkinson’s are:
Shiver. Tremors, or rhythmic shaking, typically start in a limb, most frequently the hand or fingers. You could give your thumb and forefinger a quick rub. We call this tremor a pill-rolling tremor. When your hand is at rest, it might shake. While working on tasks, you might experience less shaking.
Slow motion, also referred to as bradykinesia. It may cause movement impairments over time, making even simple tasks more challenging and time-consuming. When you walk, your steps might get shorter. It could be challenging to get out of a chair… When you attempt to walk, your feet might drag or shuffle.
Stiff muscles. You can experience muscle stiffness anywhere in your body. Your range of motion may be restricted and painful due to the stiff muscles.
Faulty balance and posture. You might start to slouch. Or it may cause you to stumble or lose your balance.
Loss of movement that comes naturally. Your ability to make involuntary movements, such as smiling, blinking, or waving your arms while walking, may have diminished.
Speech varies. You might slur your words, speak slowly or rapidly, or hesitate to say anything. Your speech might not have the typical speech patterns; instead, it might be more monotonous.
Composing modifications. Writing could get challenging and your writing could look cramped.
Causes
Parkinson’s disease is characterised by the progressive degeneration or death of specific brain cells known as neurons. The loss of neurons in the brain that generate the chemical messenger dopamine is the cause of many Parkinson’s symptoms. Reduced dopamine levels lead to erratic brain activity, which exacerbates movement disorders and other Parkinson’s disease symptoms.
Although the exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, a number of factors seem to be involved, such as:
- DNA. Certain genetic alterations have been found to be responsible for it. However, these are rare, unless there are several family members who are afflicted with Parkinson’s disease.
Though the risk of Parkinson’s appears to be lower for each of these genetic markers, some gene variations do appear to increase the risk of the disease.
- Environmental catalysts. Although the risk is low, exposure to specific toxins or environmental factors may raise the chance of developing Parkinson’s disease in the future.
Researchers have also discovered that patients with it have many different changes in their brains, though it’s unclear why these changes take place. Among these modifications are:
- Bodies with Lewy bodies present.It is indicated by microscopic substances clumps within brain cells. These are known as Lewy bodies, and scientists think that they may provide a crucial hint as to the aetiology of Parkinson’s disease.
- Lewy bodies contain alpha-synuclein. While Lewy bodies contain a variety of substances, one that is thought to be particularly significant is the widely distributed and naturally occurring protein known as alpha-synuclein, or a-synuclein. All Lewy bodies contain it in a clumped form that is indigestible by cells. At the moment, researchers studying Parkinson’s disease are paying close attention to this. The alpha-synuclein protein has been observed to be clumped in the spinal fluid of patients who go on to develop Parkinson’s disease.
Prevention
There is no known cause of Parkinson’s disease, therefore there are no effective methods to stop it from happening.
Regular aerobic exercise may lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease, according to some research.
According to additional research, those who drink caffeine—found in coffee, tea, and cola—have a lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease than non-drinkers. Additionally, drinking green tea may lower your chance of getting it. Caffeine may prevent Parkinson’s disease, but this is still unknown. It may also have some other effect. At the moment, there is insufficient data to support the idea that consuming coffee might prevent Parkinson’s disease.
