Degenerative diseases affect people of all ages and include disorders such as Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's disease and Parkinson's disease. Generally, Parkinson's does not develop in individuals younger than 50, although onset can occur in younger individuals, and the typical symptoms and tremors can begin at a much earlier age.
There are four primary symptoms of Parkinson's. Tremors, which most often occur in the limbs especially the hands, are one of the main symptoms of the disease and often an early indication that you have the disease. Another common symptom is muscle stiffness and rigidity, which makes it difficult to move. Ataxia is another common symptom, and this technical term refers to impaired coordination and balance. Bradykinesia, which is slowed bodily movement, is another of the four main symptoms. As the disease continues to develop, cognitive problems, speech problems and dementia often occur as well.
Parkinson's occurs when dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain begin to die off, and while medical experts know that this causes the disease, they still do not fully understand why this cell death occurs in the first place. The disease is somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in that a build-up of protein in the cells causes the disease to occur. In Parkinson's an abnormal amount of protein known as Lewy bodies are found in the nerve cells and this is a primary marker of the disease itself.
While there is no cure, some medications have been developed to help deal with the symptoms. Levodopa is one of the most commonly used drugs prescribed for Parkinson's patients, and this drug converts to dopamine in the body, combating the lack of dopamine due to the death of the nerve cells. Brain surgery and deep brain stimulation also sometimes are still used to treat Parkinson's, but Levodopa has eliminated the need for surgery in most cases. While treatments can slow progression of the disease and lessen the severity of symptoms, they are not a cure and the disease and will continue to worsen with the passage of time.
The earlier you receive a diagnosis, the better you will respond to the current treatments that are available. Because early identification is key, medical experts are working toward finding some sort of simple test to diagnose the disease, and one recent discovery, involving the use of monoclonal antibodies, showed real promise in being able to develop a blood test. If this test works as scientists would hope, a person could be diagnosed five or more years prior to the onset of the disease, which means treatments could begin early on.
Of course, scientists also are working on more than a blood test; they are working on curing or at least slowing down Parkinson's. There are more than 500,000 people in the United States alone that have Parkinson's, and thousands are diagnosed each year. A possible cure or treatment might be found through gene therapy, where new recombinant proteins might be able to slow down and possibly even stop the degeneration of nerve cells.
There are four primary symptoms of Parkinson's. Tremors, which most often occur in the limbs especially the hands, are one of the main symptoms of the disease and often an early indication that you have the disease. Another common symptom is muscle stiffness and rigidity, which makes it difficult to move. Ataxia is another common symptom, and this technical term refers to impaired coordination and balance. Bradykinesia, which is slowed bodily movement, is another of the four main symptoms. As the disease continues to develop, cognitive problems, speech problems and dementia often occur as well.
Parkinson's occurs when dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain begin to die off, and while medical experts know that this causes the disease, they still do not fully understand why this cell death occurs in the first place. The disease is somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in that a build-up of protein in the cells causes the disease to occur. In Parkinson's an abnormal amount of protein known as Lewy bodies are found in the nerve cells and this is a primary marker of the disease itself.
While there is no cure, some medications have been developed to help deal with the symptoms. Levodopa is one of the most commonly used drugs prescribed for Parkinson's patients, and this drug converts to dopamine in the body, combating the lack of dopamine due to the death of the nerve cells. Brain surgery and deep brain stimulation also sometimes are still used to treat Parkinson's, but Levodopa has eliminated the need for surgery in most cases. While treatments can slow progression of the disease and lessen the severity of symptoms, they are not a cure and the disease and will continue to worsen with the passage of time.
The earlier you receive a diagnosis, the better you will respond to the current treatments that are available. Because early identification is key, medical experts are working toward finding some sort of simple test to diagnose the disease, and one recent discovery, involving the use of monoclonal antibodies, showed real promise in being able to develop a blood test. If this test works as scientists would hope, a person could be diagnosed five or more years prior to the onset of the disease, which means treatments could begin early on.
Of course, scientists also are working on more than a blood test; they are working on curing or at least slowing down Parkinson's. There are more than 500,000 people in the United States alone that have Parkinson's, and thousands are diagnosed each year. A possible cure or treatment might be found through gene therapy, where new recombinant proteins might be able to slow down and possibly even stop the degeneration of nerve cells.
About the Author:
Armand Zeiders enjoys blogging about biomedical research. For more information about custom monoclonal antibody production service, or to find more information about N-terminal sequencing service, please check out the PrimmBiotech.com website now.