Parkinson’s disease is a slowly developing neurological disorder in which cells are lost in the brain. The fact that cells are lost makes it a progressive disorder of the nervous system. The National Parkinson Foundation states on their website that the most substantial area of degeneration is the Substantia Nigra in the brain which produces dopamine. Before symptoms occur, roughly 60%-80% of the neurons in the Substantia Nigra have diminished. Dopamine allows for communication between neurons that can control movement. With less dopamine in the brain, a person develops motor symptoms of Parkinson’s. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are microscopic markers in brain cells called Lewey bodies that may provide information on the cause of Parkinson’s.
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Primary motor symptoms include a resting tremor which is a shaking of a hand or foot while the body is at rest. Slow movement also known as Bradykinesia, is another motor symptom. This can effect daily activities like buttoning a shirt or brushing teeth. The gait of a person can also be effected and is seen in a shuffling walk. Stiffness or rigidity causes muscles that normally stretch to stay stiff decreasing range of motion and posture stability. Secondary motor symptoms include freezing of gait, which is a temporary hesitation to step forward. When a person with Parkinson’s writes, the handwriting may appear smaller and this is due to difficulty with repetitive actions. Nonmotor symptoms are a way to detect the disease as early as possible. The National Parkinson Foundation notes that the enteric nervous system, the medulla and the olfactory bulb which controls the sense of smell can all be affected by Parkinson’s. The theory is because of the evidence that a loss of sense of smell, sleep disorders, and constipation may be evident long before motor symptoms appear which could cause early detection of the
Primary motor symptoms include a resting tremor which is a shaking of a hand or foot while the body is at rest. Slow movement also known as Bradykinesia, is another motor symptom. This can effect daily activities like buttoning a shirt or brushing teeth. The gait of a person can also be effected and is seen in a shuffling walk. Stiffness or rigidity causes muscles that normally stretch to stay stiff decreasing range of motion and posture stability. Secondary motor symptoms include freezing of gait, which is a temporary hesitation to step forward. When a person with Parkinson’s writes, the handwriting may appear smaller and this is due to difficulty with repetitive actions. Nonmotor symptoms are a way to detect the disease as early as possible. The National Parkinson Foundation notes that the enteric nervous system, the medulla and the olfactory bulb which controls the sense of smell can all be affected by Parkinson’s. The theory is because of the evidence that a loss of sense of smell, sleep disorders, and constipation may be evident long before motor symptoms appear which could cause early detection of the