How does one get Parkinson's disease?

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system. The actual mechanism of the disease is not very clear, and its fundamental cause has not yet been identified. It is generally believed that Parkinson's disease is mainly caused by the following factors. First, genetic factors. Some cases of Parkinson's disease have a clear familial tendency, where patients may experience mutations in synaptic nuclear protein genes, leading to abnormal aggregation of these proteins. This abnormal aggregation can damage the neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain, leading to Parkinson's disease. Second, there are some external factors related to sporadic cases of Parkinson's. These may be closely related to oxidative stress, trauma, poisoning, or an excessive stress response of the body. However, the specific cause is not very clear. Parkinson's disease, which causes symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremors, and rigidity, requires active treatment to improve the quality of life of the patients.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can Parkinson's patients drink alcohol?

It is recommended that patients with Parkinson's disease avoid drinking alcohol. This is because the condition in Parkinson's patients is caused by the death of certain neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. It is well-known that alcohol has a direct damaging effect on neurons. Therefore, drinking alcohol could potentially worsen the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and it is advised not to drink alcohol. Additionally, patients with Parkinson's disease are prone to panic and unstable gait. If alcohol consumption affects the function of the cerebellum, it will exacerbate the patient's instability in walking, making them very prone to falls and potentially causing complications such as fractures. Furthermore, drinking alcohol can lead to orthostatic hypotension, which is a lower blood pressure when standing up. Parkinson's disease itself can also cause this type of orthostatic hypotension, and the combination of the two can cause a significant drop in blood pressure in patients, posing a risk when standing.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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Can Parkinson's disease be cured?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system that currently cannot be cured in medicine. It is important to choose the right treatment plan to avoid being deceived. Parkinson's disease is mainly caused by the irreversible death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in clinical manifestations such as bradykinesia, muscular rigidity, and tremors in limbs. Other non-motor symptoms include reduced sense of smell, constipation, anxiety, depression, and orthostatic hypotension. Treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic relief, and it is not expected to achieve complete remission. Commonly used medications include levodopa, anticholinergics, and activators of levodopa and dopamine receptors. Symptoms in patients usually progressively worsen, and curing the disease is very difficult.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What department to see for Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease is a very common degenerative neurological disorder in neurology, so if you go for treatment, you should definitely see a neurologist. Many neurologists have a high level of expertise in Parkinson's disease and have extensive experience in its diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Patients with Parkinson's disease generally exhibit significant motor slowness, such as dressing, buttoning, wrapping dumplings, and eating very slowly, and they also walk very slowly. In addition, they may also display obvious resting tremors, muscle rigidity, general fatigue, unstable walking posture, and other clinical manifestations. Moreover, they might experience some constipation, anxiety, depression, and reduced sense of smell among other related clinical symptoms. Therefore, for this disease, visiting a neurologist is sufficient, and you can definitely expect a very satisfactory diagnosis and treatment.

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Written by Zhou Yan
Geriatrics
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Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease begins inconspicuously and progresses gradually. There are two main categories of symptoms in Parkinson's disease: motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms. In the early stages of the disease, one can appear normal, or may experience motor symptoms like bradykinesia or rigidity, often starting asymmetrically. Symptoms commonly begin on one side of the upper limbs, and less frequently start from the lower limbs, eventually spreading to the limbs on the other side. Non-motor symptoms can occur at various stages of Parkinson's disease, including the pre-motor phase, such as loss of smell, sleep disturbances, constipation, depression, and more.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How to medicate for the rigidity in Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease presents with rigidity, mainly due to increased muscle tone and muscle rigidity, which is a very important clinical manifestation of Parkinson's disease. The medications used for rigidity in Parkinson's disease mainly include the following types. The first type is dopamine receptor agonists, which can improve limb muscle rigidity to some extent and delay the progression of the disease. The second type of medication is levodopa preparations, which are currently the gold standard for treating Parkinson's disease. Many patients experience significant clinical improvement after taking the medication. The third type of medication includes some anticholinergic drugs. These drugs are particularly effective against tremors and also have some effect in improving rigidity. Medication for Parkinson's disease must be taken under the guidance of a doctor. It is also important to note that levodopa preparations should be taken on an empty stomach or two hours after a meal for better efficacy.