Abstract
Attempts to cure or slow down the progression of Parkinson’s disease have largely failed; researchers in this paper maintain this is obviously a direct result of the lack of insight into the pathogenesis of the disease. Parkinson’s disease is the product of the deaths of a number of dopaminergic (dopamine-secreting) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta region (SNc) of the brain. But what causes these deaths? In the paper “‘Rejuvenation’ protects neurons in mouse models of Parkinson’s disease,” Chen and researchers find that older neurons in the SNc are unusually reliant on calcium channels and that after blocking these channels, the cells are “rejuvenated” and begin acting like their juvenile counterparts; as a result, these cells become protected from Parkinson’s disease. Their research, thus, points not only to a possible cause of neuronal death in PD but also to a possible means of curing the disease.
Causes / Risk Factors
• Genetics
15-25% of people who have the disease have a parent with the disease. Having a parent with the disease increases a persons risk by 3 fold.
There has not been enough research done on the genetic causes of Parkinson’s Disease to say for a fact that they are directly correlated. When more research is done there may be more strong evidence, but it could go the complete other way as well. The Human Genome project should open many doors with the research of this disease once the funding is sufficient.
• Environmental factors
According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, “Epidemiological research has identified several factors that may be linked to PD, including rural living, well water, herbicide use and exposure to pesticides.” They also state that a narc...
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...rrier. There are available tests you can take to determine the possibility of your children receiving the disease.
Many people, like myself, after watching an episode of “The Michael Jay Fox Show,” started to be come curious as to what exactly this disease is. You ask yourself; What is this disease? What causes it? Can it be passed down from generation to generation? Is there a treatment? What would your life be like suffering from this? Through my research on Parkinson’s disease, I am determined to answer these questions. I hope to have a better understanding on this disease, and how it affects the lives of patients that I might see in a hospital.
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With more than 200,000 US cases per year, Parkinson’s disease has become a major part
The path physiology of Parkinson’s disease is the pathogenesis if Parkinson disease is unknown. Epidemiologic data suggest genetic, viral, and environmental toxins as possible causes. Nigral and basal loss of neurons with depletion of dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, is the principal biochemical alteration in Parkinson disease. Symptoms in basal ganglia disorders result from an imbalance of dopaminergic (inhibitory) and cholinergic (excitatory) activity in the caudate and putamen of the basal ganglia.
Parkinson's is an idiopathic, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that attacks neurotransmitters in the brain called dopamine. Dopamine is concentrated in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra. The neurotransmitter dopamine is a chemical that regulates muscle movement and emotion. Dopamine is responsible for relaying messages between the substantia nigra and other parts of the brain to control body movement. The death of these neurotransmitters affects the central nervous system. The most common symptoms are movement related, including shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with posture. Behavioral problems may arise as the disease progresses. Due to the loss of dopamine, Parkinson's patients will often experience depression and some compulsive behavior. In advanced stages of the disease dementia will sometimes occur. The implications of the disease on the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory and phonatory systems significantly control speech.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by resting tremor, slowed movements, rigidity and postural instability (Casey G, 2013). It is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s (Martin and Mills, 2012). There is a great variability in reported incidence rates, probably due to difference in diagnostic criteria and case ascertainment, with reported rates in Australia and in Western countries ranging from 8.6 to 19.0 per 100,000 population (J Macphee and D Stewart, 2012). The two main brain structures affected by Parkinson’s are the substantia nigra pars compacta, which is located in the midbrain and other parts of the basal ganglia, w...
Thomas, C. G. (2013, November 25). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Gene-silencing study finds new targets for Parkinson's disease, pp. 1-2. Retrieved December 13, 2013, from http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2013/ninds-24.htm
Most signs and symptoms of Parkinson disease correspond to one of three motor deficiencies: bradykinesia, akinesia, tremor, and rigidity. The first two qualities are usually present before tremor, but often attributed to aging by the patient and even the physician, and thus the disease is rarely diagnosed until tremor becomes evident much later. An average of 80% of the nigrostriatal neurons may have already degenerated by the time Parkinsonism is diagnosed, which complicates treatment (Fitzgerald, 130). Bra...
From generation to generation diabetes has continued to claim lives on my mothers side of the family. From recent memory my great grandmother, aunt, and three cousins have had diabetes. Once a trait like diabetes enters your family it is passed down through genetics but it is also not guaranteed that all your family members will get it. You may be asking yourself what exactly diabetes is, what it does to your body and is their a cure? This disease affects us in many ways than one, as I will introduce to you.
...es of developing these diseases. While a family history provides information about the risk of specific health concerns, having a family history of certain medical conditions doesn’t mean that you will develop the same conditions. Disease is not imminent, by developing lifestyle changes your health can be controlled and risk lowered by changing behaviors that increase your chances.
James Parkinson first discovered Parkinson's Disease in 1817. Parkinson's Disease is a common neurologic disorder for the elderly. It is a disorder of the brain characterized by shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. This disease is associated with damage to a part of the brain that controls muscle movement. Parkinson's Disease is a chronic illness that is still being extensively studied.
"Secondary Parkinsonism: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
Since the gene for HD is dominant, there is a 50% chance of a sufferer's