April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month
April is Parkinson’s Awareness month, a period where healthcare professionals, businesses, civil society groups, and support groups will be voicing support and giving information and access to education for those living with Parkinson’s disease.
The month poses an opportunity to spark discussions about actions that can ease the issues faced by Parkinson’s patients, and appreciate the efforts of those who contribute to the fight against the disease.
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a condition that affects the brain, resulting in a progressive loss of coordination and movement problems. It is caused by the death and dysfunction of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. There is no single test to diagnose Parkinson’s; a diagnosis is made based on the presence of disease symptoms and signs. Notably, many symptoms of Parkinson’s also are found in other conditions, which can further complicate a diagnosis.
The disease is named after a British physician, James Parkinson, who first published a description of it in 1817.
Causes
Parkinson’s is characterized by the death and dysfunction of neurons (nerve cells) in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. In particular, Parkinson’s is marked by problems with dopaminergic neurons, meaning nerve cells that communicate with other neurons by releasing a signaling molecule, or neurotransmitter, called dopamine.
The exact biological processes that lead to the death and dysfunction of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s are not completely understood. Both environmental and genetic factors are thought to play a role in determining whether or not a person will develop Parkinson’s.
Risk Factors
- Genetics - People with a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with Parkinson’s are at an increased risk for the disease — possibly as much as 9 percent greater. Fifteen percent of people with Parkinson’s have a known relative with the disease, but a condition called familial Parkinson’s, which has a known genetic link is relatively rare.
- Age - The average age of onset is 60 years, and the incidence rises with advancing age. About 4 percent of people have “early-onset” or “young-onset” disease, which begins before age 50.
- Gender - Parkinson’s affects about 50 percent more men than women, for unknown reasons.
- Pesticide Exposure - Exposure to some pesticides have been shown to raise the risk of developing Parkinson’s. Problematic chemicals include organochlorine pesticides like DDT, dieldrin, and chlordane. Rotenone and permethrin have also been implicated.
- Fungicide and Herbicide Exposure - Exposure to the fungicide maneb or the herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), paraquat, or Agent Orange may raise the risk of Parkinson’s. The U.S. Veterans Health Administration considers Parkinson’s to be a possible service-related illness if the person was exposed to significant amounts of Agent Orange.
- Head Injuries - Head injuries may contribute to the development of Parkinson’s in some people.
Symptoms
Parkinson’s disease can cause characteristic motor symptoms such as tremors, abnormally slow movements (bradykinesia), and muscle rigidity.
Patients often have problems with balance and walking, and may also experience abnormal muscle contractions, involuntary movements, or freezing. Many people with Parkinson’s have abnormally small handwriting.
Parkinson’s also can cause non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, depression, sleep problems, and hallucinations or delusions. Some patients may experience uncontrollable outbursts of crying or laughing that are unrelated to their emotions.
Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, which means its symptoms start off gradually and then worsen over time.
Diagnosis
Parkinson’s is diagnosed not by a single test but by examining an individual’s signs, symptoms, and history. A variety of medical tests can help to diagnose Parkinson’s and rule out other diseases that may cause similar symptoms.
Types
Most people diagnosed with Parkinson’s have primary or idiopathic parkinsonism, better known simply as Parkinson’s disease. Patients with a family history may be said to have familial Parkinson’s, while those diagnosed before the age of 50 are said to have an early-onset disease.
Other conditions — such as dementia with Lewy bodies, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and multiple system atrophy — can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, but stem from different underlying biological causes. These diseases are referred to as secondary or atypical parkinsonism, sometimes called Parkinson’s Plus.
Treatment and Prognosis
There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Nonetheless, a variety of medications are available that can ease symptoms and improve quality of life. Many of these medicines work by increasing the amount and/or activity of dopamine in the brain.
Other medications, as well as non-drug interventions, may help to ease specific symptoms or make it easier to manage daily life. Researchers are actively working to develop new therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s itself does not cause death, but it can put substantial strain on the body and make people more vulnerable to life-threatening infections such as pneumonia. With advances in care, most people with Parkinson’s disease today have a normal or near-normal life expectancy.
By The Numbers: Parkinson's Disease
- Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson's disease (PD), which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig's disease (or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). This is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.
- Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with PD each year.
- More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD.
- The incidence of Parkinson’s disease increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.
- Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than women.
The combined direct and indirect cost of Parkinson’s, including treatment, social security payments, and lost income, is estimated to be nearly $52 billion per year in the United States alone.
Medications alone cost an average of $2,500 a year and therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 per person.
Common Questions about Parkinson's
What are the four cardinal signs of Parkinson’s disease?
The primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease – tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement (bradykinesia), and impaired balance – can vary from person to person, but they generally get worse over time.
Can anyone get Parkinson’s disease?
Anyone can get Parkinson’s, but there are certain risk factors for developing the disease: genetics, age (the average age of onset is 60 years), gender (Parkinson’s affects about 50 percent more men than women), and head injuries.
What age is most affected by Parkinson’s disease?
The average age of onset of Parkinson’s disease is 60 years, and the incidence rises with advancing age. About 10 percent of people have “early-onset” or “young-onset” disease, which begins before age 50.
How does Parkinson’s start?
Neurologists usually describe the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms in stages, using a system known as the Hoehn and Yahr scale. In the first stages, symptoms are seen on one side of the body only, and then eventually on both. In the later stages, balance impairment sets in, followed by severe disability.
Can Parkinson’s disease be reversed?
No cure exists for Parkinson’s, but a number of treatments can help manage the disease’s symptoms. Prescription drugs are the most common, and usually the first, type of treatment given. Other therapies include a surgical procedure called deep brain stimulation.
History of Parkinson's Awareness Month
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects dopamine-producing neurons in a certain part of the brain. It is a mobility disorder caused by a degenerative neural system dysfunction. Symptoms appear over time. At a summit in Luxembourg on April 11, 2005, the red tulip was unveiled as the global symbol of Parkinson’s disease.
Tremors, movement, and balance difficulties, limb rigidity, and delayed muscle action are all symptoms of this slowly advancing illness. While each person’s reaction to the disease differs, the consequences are frequently serious. There is no cure for this disease, and additional research is required. Although awareness, medications, and information can help those who are impacted by the condition, they are not a cure. Symptoms are used to diagnose typical cases, with motor issues being the most common complaint. Approximately 10 million people in the world have Parkinson’s.
The Parkinson’s Foundation has a weekly informative podcast. They have fitness classes for patients, as well as educational seminars. Exercise can greatly stem the symptoms of Parkinson’s. Aerobic exercise helps build new pathways in the brain to replace those that were damaged. This leads to the improvement of motor symptoms. April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month because it is the birth month of James Parkinson. He was the London physician who published “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy” in 1817. He was the first physician to describe Parkinson’s disease.
Raising Parkinson's Disease Awareness
Not enough people understand what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s. They don’t know it’s a serious condition. They don’t realize that treatments are limited and that there is no cure.
But if more people understand Parkinson’s, the more people can fundraise, can fight for fair benefits, can support their local communities, and, ultimately, can get us closer to that cure.
It’s time to start the conversation. It’s time to talk about Parkinson’s.
Sources:
https://www.parkinson.org/parkinsons-awareness-month