How Does Parkinson's Disease Affect The Brain

Parkinson's Disease has caused problems for many people in this world and plagued the elderly all over the world.Parkinson's disease still puzzles doctors and the causes are unknown. It is known that it is a non-communicable disease and may even be hereditary. Parkinson's disease is thought to be caused by external factors.

Proteinaceous Infectious Particles, commonly known as Prions, are extremely rare misfolds of the protein PrPc, which cause fatally neurodegenerative diseases, and are theorized to be infectious only by the protein itself (U.S National Library of Medicine, 1998). This “protein-only theory” is still heavily debated today, as some scientists deny the theory, and there isn’t a significant amount of evidence on each side to qualify the theory or disprove it (Soto, C. 2011). The base “Prion” protein is encoded in the gene PRNP, while being non-infectious. Prions are most commonly found in human prion diseases, but they can also be in other animals in the form of Mad Cow Disease and Chronic Wasting Disease, classified as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathies

If you eat unhealthy, fatty foods your whole life, you have a higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or arteriosclerosis. If you have unprotected sex, you may contract a sexually transmitted disease, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, or HIV/AIDS. But, Parkinson’s doesn’t racially discriminate, nor does it care if someone is wealthy, poor, educated, non-educated, male or female. Anyone can develop Parkinson’s disease. The disease begins in the brain, our most intricate, delicate organ, whose complexity is still not entirely understood, even with today’s technology and experts. The brain intrigues me. I find myself curious about brain

I choose to do my paper and presentation on Neurocognitive disorders due to Parkinson’s disease. The DSM 5 states the diagnostic criteria as:

Encephalitis is a neurological disorder that results in the inflammation of the brain and sometimes the meninges. It is usually due to a viral infection. Most often arboviruses cause encephalitis, by transference via mosquitos to humans and animals. When bitten by an infected mosquito the virus moves from the mosquito into the person’s blood, it then reaches the brain and spinal cord, it multiplies within the central nervous system thus inflaming and damaging nerve cells, this interferes with signals from the brain to the rest of the body. The herpes simplex virus type one can commonly cause encephalitis. HIV has also been noted as an increasing cause of encephalitis. Viral infections like: mumps, chicken pox and measles can also cause encephalitis, but rarely.

Encephalitis literally means an inflammation of the brain, but it usually refers to brain inflammation caused by a virus. It may also be called “acute viral encephalitis or aseptic encephalitis';. Encephalitis is an infectious disease of the Central Nervous System characterized by pathologic changes in both the gray and white matter of the spinal cord and brain. It may be due to specific disease entity such as rabies or an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus), or it may occur as a sequela of influenza, measles, German measles, chicken pox, herpes virus infection, small pox, vaccinia, or other diseases. The specific viruses involved may vary. Exposure can also occur through insect bites, food or drink, or skin

In Multiple Sclerosis, an abnormal immune mediated response attacks the myelin coating around the nerves in the nervous system in the body. They also say that Multiple sclerosis is more prevalent in areas farther away from the equator (National MS Society). The environment may even have a small role in the disease. Scientists also believe that Multiple Sclerosis may happen when exposed to different viruses and bacteria. According to PubMed, Infectious pathogens are the likely environmental factors involved in the development of Multiple Sclerosis (PubMed). Multiple Sclerosis is not a contagious disease at all. It is not a genetic

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

disease and Alzheimer’s. Severe infection that has spread to the brain, epilepsy, stroke, and the late

Parkinson's Disease has a genetic component, which plays a role in the etiology. Environmental factors can too, such as exposure to toxins like pesticides or workplace hazards like industrial use of heavy metals. Head injuries, damage to the brain from free radicals, and a stroke or brain tumor can contribute as well. This disease is chronic and becomes progressively

Firstly, genetics is believed to play a role although it only affects a small number of families. Scientists have identified some gene abnormalities and mutations that are linked to Parkinson’s Disease such as the mutation in alpha synuclein gene. The triplication of this gene on a copy of chromosome 4 causes the overproduction of either normal or abnormal alpha synuclein protein, which is toxic to brain cells (Lesage, “Genetics and Parkinson’s Disease: What have we learned?”). Secondly, more and more studies have shown the relation between environmental toxins and Parkinson’s Disease. Exposure to toxins such as certain metals (manganese), pesticides and chemicals (MPTP, an illicit drug) selectively damages neurological cells, causing the disease (“Parkinson’s Disease: Hope through research”). Thirdly, mitochondrial oxidation stress may also contribute to the illness (“What causes Parkinson’s Disease”). By ‘stealing’ electrons from nearby molecules, the unstable free radicals cause damage to cells such as the neurons, and thus interrupt the communication with our

Definition: “Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive disease of the nervous system characterized by the cardinal features of rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, and postural instability” (O’Sullivan and Schmitz, 2007). The condition can develop between age group 60 and 80 years and symptoms mostly appear around 60 years of age (O’Sullivan and Schmitz, 2007).

The most common type of encephalitis is Japanese encephalitis. “Other viral forms of encephalitis, such as St. Louis encephalitis and La Crosse encephalitis, cause sporadic disease in some areas of the United States. Strains of Venezuelan, Western, and Eastern equine encephalitis virus can also cause disease in humans.” (“Encephalitis, ”Encyclopedia Britannica Mobile). This shows that Encephalitis is all over the world. There can be other types of viral encephalitises also. “Encephalitis may occur as a result of an infection from sporozoa called Toxoplasma, which are parasitic in animals, birds, and human beings. It can also be due to infection with protozoa belonging to the genus Trypanosoma, transmitted by the tsetse fly. In addition, forms of apparently noninfectious encephalitis occur occasionally as a complication in cases of poisoning from contact with heavy metals, particularly Lead.” (“Encephalitis.” World Book, Inc). This shows that encephalitis can be caused by more then bacteria and infections. With server all types of encephalitis comes several

Prions are a type of protein found naturally in the brain and other regions of the central nervous system. The diseases associated with

The risk factors associated with encephalitis very and are dependent on different causes and circumstances. Children and elderly are affected by some types of encephalitis more frequently than others. If a person’s immune system is not working well they have a higher risk of contracting encephalitis and the body will have a harder time fighting off the viruses. Mosquitos can play a big part in transmitting viruses that can cause encephalitis and the risk of living in an area where mosquito-borne viruses are more prevalent can increase the risk of encephalitis. People seem to really like the outdoors and activities like jogging, gardening, fishing, and camping can increase your chances in contracting a virus that