Who does Parkinson's Disease affect?
Parkinson's Disease affects thousands upon thousands of patients worldwide, although it is sometimes hard to ensure the count is accurate based on the number of cases which go unreported each year. It is a condition which is not synonymous with poverty, nor malnutrition, nor does it know of any geographic boundaries. The condition can affect anyone, with no known cause or reason, regardless of social status, education or race. Many patients in the early stages of the disease dismiss the symptoms as a natural part of the aging process and consequently do not seek help from their physician. It is highly recommended that if you, or someone you know is experiencing the trademark symptoms such as the tremor and loss of smooth, controlled movement, they consult a physician immediately for testing and information about the condition, its treatment, and how to live with the symptoms. This will help allay any fears or concerns which you may have, as well as begin to help the symptoms of the condition to make life more bearable for the sufferer.
Diagnosis of Parkinson's is sometimes rather complex and can be particularly uncertain, given that patients may be diagnosed with other conditions, or alternatively patients with other conditions may be diagnosed with Parkinson's. This is because there are numerous other conditions which cause the same or some of the symptoms of Parkinson's. Parkinson's Disease mainly affects the male population, with white males far more likely to be affected by the condition than Asian or Black males, or even women. This trend cannot be explained as of yet, and there seems to be no causal link between gender and race and the onset of the condition, although scientists are carefully studying the correlation between gender and ethnicity and the onset of the condition. That said, Parkinson's can still affect females, and it would be fair to say that everyone has a similar chance of developing Parkinson's Disease, at least at some stage in their life.
Furthermore, the vast majority of patients are over the age of 50, as Parkinson's is a condition affecting the late-middle aged, although most patients will not realise the onset of the symptoms until roughly age 60. There have also been numerous reports of incidents of earlier development of the disease, as a many as 10% of all cases can be attributed to patients below the age of 40. Again, there is no known cause for the earlier onset of the condition, other than those which can be attributed to head trauma and dug or alcohol abuse.
Parkinson's is a debilitating disease, which can strike anyone without warning or concern for lifestyle. It is important to ensure that any suspicious symptoms are reported at once to a medical professional to allow treatment to commence, if necessary, as soon as possible. There are also a number of support groups for sufferers and carers which help to keep the patient active and involved which are key to treating the condition.
Parkinson's disease news on the Web
Gene Therapy Helps Children With Rare, Incurable Brain Disease
Using gene transfer techniques pioneered by University of Florida faculty, Taiwanese doctors have restored some movement in four children bedridden with a rare, life-threatening neurological disease. The first-in-humans achievement may also be helpful for more common diseases such as Parkinson's that involve nerve cell damage caused by lack of a crucial molecule in brain tissue... |
Unravelling How Locomotion Starts
Scientists at the University of Bristol have shed new light on one of the great unanswered questions of neuroscience: how the brain initiates rhythmic movements like walking, running and swimming... |
Potential To Predict Parkinson's Disease Via Colonoscopy Or Flexible Sigmoidoscopy
Two studies by neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Center suggest that, in the future, colonic tissue obtained during either colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy may be used to predict who will develop Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder of aging that that leads to progressive deterioration of motor function due to loss of neurons in the brain tha... |
Damaged Stem Cells Commit Suicide For The Good Of The Embryo
Embryonic stem cells - those revered cells that give rise to every cell type in the body - just got another badge of honor. If they suffer damage that makes them a threat to the developing embryo, they swiftly fall on their swords for the greater good, according to a study published online in the journal Molecular Cell... |
Once-Marginalized Parkinson's Disease Theory May Be Valid
The March issue of the FEBS Journal reports that scientists from the Californian University in San Diego have discovered new evidence for a theory that was once marginalized with regard to the underlying causes of Parkinson's disease, which conflicts with an older theory that Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases are caused by insoluble intracellular fibrils called amyloids... |
Strong Support Uncovered For Once-Marginalized Theory On Parkinson's Disease
University of California, San Diego scientists have used powerful computational tools and laboratory tests to discover new support for a once-marginalized theory about the underlying cause of Parkinson's disease. The new results conflict with an older theory that insoluble intracellular fibrils called amyloids cause Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases... |
Parkinson's Patients Might Respond To 19th Century Vibration-Chair Therapy
To relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease, Jean-Martin Charcot, a famous neurologist in the 19th century developed a "vibration chair" that showed improvements in his patients. However, Charcot died soon afterwards, before being able to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of his therapy... |
Parkinson's Protein Causes Disease Spread In Animal Model
Last year, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that small amounts of a misfolded brain protein can be taken up by healthy neurons, replicating within them to cause neurodegeneration... |
Understanding How Parkinson's Disease Starts And Spreads
Injection of a small amount of clumped protein triggers a cascade of events leading to a Parkinson's-like disease in mice, according to an article published online this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Progressive accumulation of clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease coincides with the onset of motor dysfunction... |
Easing Depression In Parkinson's Patients Without Worsening Other Symptoms
Today's anti-depressant medications can ease depression in Parkinson's patients without worsening other symptoms of the disease, according to a study published online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Depression is the number-one factor negatively affecting the quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease," said Irene Hegeman Richard, M.D... |
Ocular Tremors Parkinson's Disease Link
A study, published Online First by Archives of Neurology, reveals that persistent eye tremors seem to be common in individuals suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD). Ocular tremors can prevent eye stability during fixation and results from the study indicate that precise oculomotor testing could provide an early physiological biomarker for diagnosing Parkinson's disease. George T... |
Eating Berries May Lower Men's Parkinson's Risk
Men who regularly consume foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, apples, certain vegetables, tea and red wine, may significantly reduce their risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the journal Neurology this week that saw no such effect among women... |
Potential Strategy To Restore Motor And Cognitive Function In Parkinson's Disease
An agent under consideration for use in PET imaging combats neuronal death to relieve Parkinsonian symptoms in animal models, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. The movement-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including muscle rigidity and tremors, are caused by the loss of dopamine-secreting neurons in the brain... |
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