Picturing Parkinson's: Game Changer? Medical News and Health Information
Picturing Parkinson's: Game Changer? -- Research Summary
BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking (tremors) and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. Ten million people worldwide; one million of those being Americans, contract Parkinson Disease. The disease affects both men and women; however men are at a much higher risk. Parkinson’s disease usually develops after the age of 50, but, in extremely rare cases, Parkinson’s disease can be found in young adults and children. If Parkinson’s Disease is left untreated, it can totally disable an individual. It may also lead to a deterioration of all brain functions, and an early death.
SOURCE: (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth); (http://www.webmd.com/)
CAUSES: The exact cause of Parkinson’s disease is still unknown, it has yet to be discovered why some brain cells waste away, however there are some potential factors that may play a role. Parkinson’s disease occurs when the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine are slowly destroyed. Without dopamine, the nerve cells in that part of the brain cannot properly send messages. This leads to the loss of muscle function. Other factors that may contribute to Parkinson’s disease are genetic mutations; being exposed to certain toxins or viruses; low norepinephrine levels; or having lewy bodies—unusual protein clumps which are found in the brain.
SOURCE: (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth); (www.mayoclinic.com/health/parkinsons-disease/)
TREATMENT: There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease; the goal of treatment is to control the symptoms, mostly by increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain; making the disease easier to cope with. There are several medications that help ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, such as, Levodopa (L-dopa). Levodopa is used to treat movement-related symptoms of Parkinson’s disease — it is the best known drug used to control symptoms. In some cases, surgery, such as brain stimulation, may be an option. A surgeon places wires in the brain; the wires carry tiny electrical signals to the parts in the brain that control movement; helping those parts in the brain work better.
SOURCE: (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth); (http://www.webmd.com/)
SIDE EFFECTS TO TREATMENT: Many medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease can cause severe side effects, including hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and delirium. SOURCE: (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth)
LATEST BREAKTHROUGH: Physicians for decades have had to rely largely on a keen eye and their experience to properly diagnose Parkinson’s disease. In January of 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of ioflupane iodine-123 injection or DaTscan to aid in early detection. DaTscan is an imaging technology that uses small amounts of a radioactive drug to help determine how much dopamine is available in a person’s brain. It is the first diagnostic imaging agent used to assess Parkinson disease approved by the FDA.
SOURCE: (www.pdf.org/); (http://www.tampabay.com/); (www.michaeljfox.org/)
PREVENTION: Some research suggests that drinking coffee, tea, and cola, beverages high in caffeine may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. MORE
third step:
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nilou Salimpour
Media Relations
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
(310) 292-6536
salimpourn@cshs. org
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