Basic Info about Parkinson's Disease (PD)

This page provides some basic information about Parkinson's disease (PD). The information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem, you should consult your health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on PSCKY's website.

Board member Greg Hoeck shares information about PD with a family at an outreach event on the Great Lawn.

General Information

Parkinson’s disease (PD) may be one of the more baffling and complex of all neurological disorders. Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder, meaning the disease worsens over time. With medical management, PD is NOT fatal. It is NOT infectious. It CANNOT be transmitted to other members of the family. The disease often progresses gradually, and most people have many years of productive living after a diagnosis. Unlike other serious neurological diseases, Parkinson’s disease is treatable. There are a variety of medical and non-medical therapies that help people live well with PD.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease result from the degeneration of nerve cells in the mid-brain, and the corresponding loss of the neurotransmitting chemical dopamine produced by those cells. Parkinson's disease causes both non-motor and motor symptoms. Many people are familiar with the motor symptoms, and Parkinson’s disease is considered a “movement disorder.” Non-motor symptoms of PD are often present 5-15 years before onset of any motor symptoms.

Main Non-Motor Symptoms

• Hyposmia='loss or impairment of the sense of smell.' 90% of people with diagnosed PD show a decrease in their sense of smell. This may be one of the earliest signs of PD. You can be part of research related to this pre-clinical symptom through the PARS study.
• REM Sleep Behavior Disorder='acting out dreams while you sleep.' A sleeping companion may notice this behavior first; the intensity may escalate.
• Depression
• Constipation

Main Motor Symptoms

• Bradykinesia='slowness in executing movements.' This slowness may show itself in decreased arm swing when walking, micrographia (small handwriting), hypophonia (weakened voice), masked face, and slow gait.
• Resting Tremor='shaking in an arm or leg when the limb at rest.' This tremor generally becomes less noticeable or disappears when the person moves the arm or leg.
• Rigidity='stiffness.' Rigidity often occurs in the limbs and neck. At times, the muscle stiffness causes extreme pain and severely limits movement. 
• Postural instability='impaired balance and coordination.' Reflexes that normally keep us upright become impaired, often leading to loss of balance and falls.

Therapies

Although medications help some symptoms, the same medications may cause side-effects and can also lose their effectiveness. For decades, the drug levodopa, commonly known as L-dopa, has been the mainstay of Parkinson’s disease treatment. But L-dopa can cause side effects, and it may become less effective as the disease worsens, especially as new symptoms develop. In addition, responses to the drug may become more erratic over time. For that reason newer drugs are now also used, either alone or in combination with levodopa. Research has provided us with medications which are very effective over long periods of time. Click here to read about medications used in the treatment of PD (this will take you away from our site).

Other therapies—such as speech, movement and surgical therapies—help many people live well with PD. Many of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease can be treated. Physiotherapists, nutritionists, speech and occupational therapists, and counselors can all help to maintain and improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease. Regular exercise and physical therapy can help stave off loss of motor control. Keeping active and eating a good diet are vital in the management of Parkinson's disease.

A treatment that has had encouraging results is deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS involves implanting a brain stimulator, similar to a heart pacemaker, in certain areas of the brain. For some people, DBS may control symptoms so well that medications can be greatly reduced.

Meanwhile, research into other treatments continues. There is tremendous research potential in several areas, including neuroprotective agents, improved stimulation devices, cell replacement, and bioengineering of cells.

Email To A Friend

Print This Document