The Causes Of Parkinson's Disease (PD)

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What is Parkinson’s disease (PD)? Parkinson’s disease falls under the category of motor system disorders. The dictionary defines Parkinson’s disease as a progressive disease of the nervous system that is marked by tremor, muscular rigidity, and slow, imprecise movement (Merriam-Webster). Through this definition we get a glimpse of some of PD’s main symptoms. It is also important to ask, who does Parkinson’s disease affect? PD is most commonly seen in middle aged and elderly people. PD looks different for each and every patient it affects. In the following paragraphs, we will take a deeper look at who and what Parkinson’s disease affects as well as what Parkinson’s disease looks like in terms of the brain and its causations, the mind and its…show more content…
PD is understood to be a disorder of the central nervous system that results from a loss of cells in several areas of the brain. This includes damage to the part of the brain known as the substania nigra. The substania nigra cells are responsible for producing dopamine. This is a problem because one of dopamine’s jobs is to send signals to the part of the brain that controls movement. With the help of dopamine healthy human beings are able to move the way they want to. However, with Parkinson’s disease, nerve cells are broken down and there is no longer enough dopamine to allow those affected to properly move the way they want to. Although, the exact causation of this nerve break down has yet to be pinpointed, by studying each patient and their symptoms we are gaining more of the information and tools needed to understand PD and its potential…show more content…
The four main symptoms of PD are tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, and problems associated with balance and walking. A tremor means to shake or tremble. These tremors can be seen in the hands, arms, or legs of those affected by PD and is usually the first symptom to be noticed. Tremors are different from patient to patient. Some patients may experience tremors in just one hand while others experiences tremors in an entire hemisphere of their body. The muscle stiffness associated with Parkinson’s is typically a symptom that gets worse over time. It affects muscles all over your body and what might start out as a general feeling of stiffness and impaired ability to move comfortably could in later stages progress to trouble swallowing or using the bathroom. Slowed movement, trouble with balance and walking, and other symptoms such as difficulty talking, completing tasks, and depression are all struggles that those affected by PD are at risk for experiencing. It is also important to note that most of these symptoms appear subtlety and gradually worsen over time. In some cases, patient’s symptoms progress much faster than others. The positive aspect to Parkinson’s disease having slowly accelerating symptoms is it gives both patients and doctors time. Time that can be used to learn the patient’s individual needs and

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