IndexEtiologyPathologyClinical Signs/SymptomsPrognosisImplications PT/PTAReferencesEtiologyParkinson's disease (PD) can occur due to genetic or environmental factors. There are six genes classified that may be the cause of Parkinson's disease: "alpha-synuclein, parkin, UCHL1, DJ1, PINK1 and LRRK2". Overexpression of one or two of these can cause mitochondrial defects within the musculoskeletal system and can cause neurodegeneration. Parkinson's disease affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. Synuclein, UCHL1, LRRK2; these three can be classified as autosomal dominant parkinsonism. DJ1, PINK1, parking; can be classified as autosomal recessive. There are also environmental factors that represent a possible risk factor for PD. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Exposure to toxic substances and infections can increase the risk of contracting Parkinson's disease; for example, toxic exposures such as “carbon monoxide and methanol can damage the basal ganglia and produce parkinsonian symptoms.” Exposure to infections such as “measles virus, rubella virus, and herpes virus” can increase the rate of contracting Parkinson's disease. It is also known that men are more likely to contract the disorder than women. This is logical because men are exposed to a more toxic environment due to their work. Construction, miners and machinery operators are just a few examples of toxins found in these work environments that can lead to the development of Parkinson's disease. One surprising study also shocked me by stating that "there is a relatively well-established relationship between Parkinson's disease and a history of smoking...Individuals with a history of smoking appear to have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease." It's crazy to think that smoking could reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, I would have thought it would increase the chances and probably make it worse. Pathology Parkinson's disease is associated with degeneration of the "nigrostriatal dopaminergic system", with neuronal loss and reactive gliosis found at autopsy. It is a heterogeneous with abnormalities in the presynaptic protein synuclein. “Alpha-synuclein accumulates in neuronal perikarya (Lewy bodies) and neuronal processes (Lewy neurites).” The disease affects neurons of the central nervous system and neurons of the peripheral autonomic nervous system. Nerve cells in the substantia nigra produce the neurotransmitter dopamine and are responsible for transmitting messages that plan and control body movement. Nerve cells in the substantia nigra that produce dopamine begin to die in some individuals. When “eighty percent of dopamine is lost,” that is when the signs of Parkinson's disease begin to manifest in the patient. Body movement is a complex chain of interconnected groups of nerve cells called ganglia. The information reaches the central area of ​​the brain called the “striatum”; which works with the “substantia nigra” to send impulses back and forth from the spinal cord to the brain. Movement should be smooth and fluid, but in patients with Parkinson's disease it is the opposite, especially if the disease is severe. The signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear when the body's mechanics try to compensate for the lack of dopamine in the body. Clinical signs/symptoms of Parkinson's disease vary from patient to patient and also depends on the speed of progression of the disorder. Some of the signs and symptoms you commonly see are bradykinesia, tremor,stiffness, postural instability and even depression. “In particular, the subthalamic nucleus (STN) becomes overactive and acts as a brake on the globus pallidus internus (GPi)” (Mandybur), meaning it blocks fluid movement and even causes stiffness. Stiffness or in other words also known as stiffness can be seen in the upper and lower parts of the body. For example, a patient with Parkinson's disease can cause a person to be unable to swing their arms while walking, which puts them in danger of endangering their environment. Another symptom of Parkinson's disease is tremors and is due to the fact that when "the GPi is overstimulated, it has an overly inhibitory effect on the thalamus, which in turn decreases thalamic output and causes tremor." Tremor can also endanger the patient because it is an involuntary muscle contraction and, during relaxation, can cause a twitching movement. These twitching movements can affect the patient's arms, hands, eyes, face, trunk, and legs. One of the signs that can potentially point to Parkinson's disease is slowness of movement, also known as bradykinesia. "Slowness of movement, reduced dexterity, decreased eyelids, drooling, expressionless face." Imagine not being able to move at a normal pace while walking or maybe you are simply looking for something. A disorder that slows your daily movements can make it extremely difficult to complete any task. These patients will need a lot of assistance and guidance to complete their tasks. Slow movement can also lead to imbalance and poor posture when walking. Parkinson's disease patients typically overcompensate by lowering their center of gravity, which can cause the upper extremity muscles to tighten and the back muscles to overextend. Not to mention the person may feel anxious and depressed due to these signs and symptoms. Prognosis There are some things a person can do to prevent it; I firmly believe that Parkinson's disease will not occur in people who live a healthier lifestyle. For example, just eating a balanced diet and staying active are some contributions a person can make to stay healthy and more important to one's well-being. Parkinson's disease can be managed with self-care, medications and surgery. Self-care is pretty intuitive and involves exercising and making sure you maintain flexibility; which improves the patient's balance and mobility. Another example would be participating in some type of dance class or group activity. Being in a group activity environment helps each other because you can push each other to achieve a short-term goal. Another way to help a Parkinson's patient is to make sure they are taking the right medications. The drug “Amantadine (symmeterl) blocks the action of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which allows an increase in the release of dopamine”. Increasing dopamine release in a Parkinson's disease patient will increase the patient's movements, which can lead to a better therapy session. Other drugs that help a Parkinson's patient are "trihexyphenidyl (artane) and benztropine (Cogentin) which reduces the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and reduces tremor." The last thing a Parkinson's patient may consider is deep brain stimulation surgery. DBS is a surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker device that sends electrical signals to the brain responsible for movement. Before any surgery you must take into consideration whether the patient is/25802027