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Research Paper On Parkinson's Disease

Decent Essays

• Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, which leads to progressive deterioration of motor function due to loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.
• The cause of Parkinson’s Disease is unknown, but researchers speculate that both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Some genes have been linked to the disease.
• Primary symptoms include o tremor, o stiffness, o slowness, o impaired balance, o and later on a shuffling gait.
• Some secondary symptoms include
• anxiety, o depression, and o dementia.
• Most individuals with Parkinson's disease are diagnosed when they are 60 years old or older, but early-onset Parkinson's disease also occurs.
• Several staging systems for Parkinson’s disease exist depending upon the organization …show more content…

The individual loses balance, moves more slowly, and falls are common. Symptoms impair daily activities, for example, dressing, eating, and brushing teeth. o Stage 4. Symptoms become severe and the individual needs assistance walking and performing daily activities. o Stage 5 is the most advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. The individual is unable to walk and will need full time assistance with living.
• With proper treatment, most individuals with Parkinson's disease can lead long, productive lives for many years after diagnosis. The life expectancy is about the same as people without the disease.
What is Parkinson's disease?
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the most common movement disorder. Characteristics of Parkinson’s disease are progressive loss of muscle control, which leads to trembling of the limbs and head while at rest, stiffness, slowness, and impaired balance. As symptoms worsen, it may become difficult to walk, talk, and complete simple …show more content…

Many people with Parkinson's disease live long productive lives, whereas others become disabled much more quickly. Complications of Parkinson’s such as falling-related injuries or pneumonia can cause premature death. However, studies of patent populations with and without Parkinson’s Disease suggest the life expectancy for people with the disease is about the same as the general population.
Most individuals who develop Parkinson's disease are 60 years of age or older. Since overall life expectancy is rising, the number of individuals with Parkinson's disease will increase in the future. Adult-onset Parkinson's disease is most common, but early-onset Parkinson's disease (onset between 21-40 years), and juvenile-onset Parkinson's disease (onset before age 21) can occur.
Descriptions of Parkinson's disease date back as far as 5000 BC. Around that time, an ancient Indian civilization called the disorder Kampavata and treated it with the seeds of a plant containing therapeutic levels of what is today known as levodopa. Parkinson's disease was named after the British doctor James Parkinson, who in 1817 first described the disorder in detail as "shaking palsy."
Risk factors for Parkinson's disease

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