By: Fiona Eyob
What is Parkinson’s Disease (PD)?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that causes unintended movements that worsens over time (chronic). It’s caused by a loss of nerve cells in a portion of the brain, the substantia nigra, that produces a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine plays a vital role in bodily functions, including: movement, memory, motivation, and pleasure.
In people with Parkinson’s disease, there isn’t enough dopamine produced by the substantia nigra, located in the midbrain, to promote normal brain function.The midbrain acts as a transmission system, necessary for: the sleep/wake cycle, auditory processing, visual interpretation, motor movement, and pain.
Symptoms of PD:
This lack of such a vital neurotransmitter causes many symptoms: it can start with fatigue, lack of motivation, and slight tremors, but eventually can lead to impaired coordination and balance, muscle stiffness, and memory issues. People who have Parkinson’s often also develop a phenomenon called parkinsonian gait, where they may begin to: walk slowly, take shorter steps, and a decreased arm swing while moving. Symptoms typically start on one side of the body, and as the disease progresses, begins to affect both sides of the body.
Treatment:
Although there is no permanent cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are medications out there that can help treat symptoms and even increase the amount of dopamine in the brain. Such treatment includes:
Carbidopa-levodopa: A natural chemical that passes into the brain and becomes dopamine
-Side Effects: nausea, lightheadedness, and hypotension
-Can be inhaled, injected, or taken orally
Dopamine Agonists: they act/mimic the effects of dopamine
-Side Effects: headaches, nausea, dizziness, hypotension
-Includes: Pramipexole, Rotigotine, Apomorphine
Monoamine Oxidase inhibitors: blocks an enzyme (monoamine) that breaks down dopamine
-Side Effects: insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, headaches, and nausea
-Includes: Selegiline, Rasagiline, Safinamide
Catechol O-methyltransferase inhibitors: blocking an enzyme that breaks down dopamine
-Side Effects: involuntary movements, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
-Includes: Entacapone, Opicapone, Tolcapone
Anticholinergics: helps control tremors
-Side Effects: dizziness, blurred vision, urinary retention
-Includes: Benztropine and Trihexyphenidyl
Prevention:
Although there is no set way to prevent getting the disease, but there are various ways to help protect against it:
Exercise
Caffeine consumption
Balanced diet rich in antioxidants
Avoid contact with toxins/pollutants
Reference Resources
“Anticholinergic Drugs Uses & Side Effects.” Cleveland Clinic, 12 December 2024, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/anticholinergic-drugs. Accessed 14 January 2025
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Bawden, Simon. “Neuroanatomy, Substantia Nigra - StatPearls.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536995/. Accessed 14 January 2025.
“Parkinson's 101 | Parkinson's Disease.” The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101. Accessed 14 January 2025.
“Parkinson's Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments | National Institute on Aging.” National Institute on Aging, 14 April 2022, https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-disease-causes-symptoms-and-treatments#symptoms-of-parkinson-s-disease. Accessed 14 January 2025.
“Parkinson's disease - Diagnosis and treatment.” Mayo Clinic, 27 September 2024, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376062. Accessed 14 January 2025.
“Parkinson's disease - Diagnosis and treatment.” Mayo Clinic, 27 September 2024, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376062. Accessed 14 January 2025.
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