Who has Parkinson’s? (statistics from the Parkinson’s Foundation 3/2023)
- Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease.
- Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with PD each year.
- More than 10 million people worldwide are living with PD.
- The incidence of Parkinson’s disease increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50.
- Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than women.
Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement. Parkinson’s Disease is due to a decrease of dopamine in the brain which leaves a person unable to control movement normally.
People who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s typically have the symptoms of the disease developing between 10 to 20 years before they have enough visible motor symptoms for a diagnosis by your physician and/or Neurologist. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes beginning with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.
In Parkinson’s Disease, certain nerve cells (neurons) in the brain gradually break down or die. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in your brain called dopamine. Loss of brain dopamine is primarily responsible for the movement problems of Parkinson’s Disease.
In the early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, your face may show little expression. Your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson’s Disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time. No two patients may have a set of similar symptoms.
Although Parkinson’s Disease cannot be cured at this time, medications might significantly improve your symptoms. Research is ongoing at many national institutions and organizations. TOP
Causes
The exact cause of Parkinson’s Disease is unknown, but several factors appear to play a role. Researchers have also noted that many changes occur in the brains of people with Parkinson’s Disease, although it’s not clear why these changes occur.
Researchers have identified specific genetic mutations that can cause Parkinson’s Disease. But these are uncommon except in rare cases where many family members are affected by Parkinson’s Disease. However, certain gene variations appear to increase the risk of Parkinson’s Disease.
Exposure to certain toxins such as herbicides or other toxic chemicals factors may increase the risk of Parkinson’s Disease. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange defoliant have a high incidence of Parkinson’s Disease.
Clumps of specific substances within brain cells are microscopic markers of Parkinson’s Disease. These are called Lewy bodies, and researchers believe these Lewy bodies hold an important clue to the cause of Parkinson’s Disease.
Although many substances are found within Lewy bodies, scientists believe an important one is the natural and widespread protein called alpha-synuclein (a-synuclein). It’s found in all Lewy bodies in a clumped form that cells can’t break down. This is currently an important focus among Parkinson’s Disease researchers. TOP
Risk Factors
Young adults rarely experience Parkinson’s Disease. It ordinarily begins in middle or late life, and the risk increases with age. People usually develop the disease around age 60 or older. Men are more likely to develop Parkinson’s Disease than are women.
Having a close relative with Parkinson’s Disease increases the chances that you’ll develop the disease. However, your risks are still small unless you have many relatives in your family with Parkinson’s Disease.
Ongoing exposure to herbicides and pesticides may increase your risk of Parkinson’s Disease. It is felt that prolonged exposure to pesticides, herbicides, exposure to manganese, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide, blows to the head, or Lyme disease that is undiagnosed or not diagnosed in a timely fashion. Early onset Parkinson’s Disease is thought to be genetic abnormality or mutation. Free radicals develop constantly in people. These free radicals can begin to damage the neurons. TOP
Diagnosis
Parkinson’s Disease is still diagnosed through a thorough neurological exam identifying the primary symptoms. A patient history is taken by your neurologist. The patient would have to exhibit at least two of the primary symptoms for a diagnosis to be made. Also, the diagnosis would be separated from Parkinson’s Disease versus Parkinsonism.
Tests That a Neurologist Would Perform:
Standing from a seated position the patient touching their nose and then the finger of the neurologist
Following the finger of the doctor with the eyes
Walking down the hallway, walking on toes, walking on heels
DAT SCAN Test For Parkinson Diagnosis
DaTSCANi is a commercially available test that identifies patients with presynaptic Parkinsonism.
Other Possible Diagnosis By a Neurologist
Multiple Systematrophy or MSA, is a rare, degenerative neurologic condition that affects men and women, usually starting in the 50’s or early 60’s. MSA is considered a type of Parkinsonism but with more widespread effects on the brain and body. The condition was first identified in 1962, and named Shy-Drager syndrome for two physicians who reported patients showing a combination of Parkinson-like movement disorders and problems with the autonomic, or body-regulating division of the nervous system.
Corticobal Degeneration (CBD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is Parkinson’s-plus syndrome, meaning that they are diseases that share some of the symptoms of Parkinson Disease such as slowing of movements, stiffness, tremors, falls, and shuffling of the feet. They may both also cause changes in memory and thinking. TOP
Treatment
After your Neurologist determines that you have Parkinson’s Disease, they will likely prescribe one or more medications to treat you for the underlying Parkinson’s Disease and your active symptoms.
Research has shown that regular Exercise and Physical Therapy alleviates the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Please review our sections on Exercise and Therapy for options you can initiate for both Physical Therapy and Exercise.
At the advice of your medical team of family practitioner, neurologist and therapist the alternative treatment of Deep Brain Stimulation may be presented to you for consideration. For more information on Deep Brain Stimulation, please look at our section for Deep Brain Stimulation more information on this option. TOP