Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological condition, affecting millions worldwide. April of each year is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, observed globally.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease has some well-known symptoms, notably muscle tremors. However the process by which it develops, not to mention the causes, are less well-known. One key aim of Parkinson’s Awareness Month is increasing public knowledge about unfamiliar aspects of the disease.
The immediate cause of Parkinson’s disease is a loss of nerve cells. This nerve cell loss takes place in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra. Nerve cells in this part of the brain produce a chemical called dopamine. The role of dopamine in the human body is to act as a messenger. It helps send messages between the parts of the brain and nervous system that help control and co-ordinate body movements.
If these nerve cells die or become damaged, the amount of dopamine in the brain is reduced. Consequently, the part of the brain controlling movement cannot work as well as normal. This causes movements to become slow and abnormal. The loss of nerve cells is a slow process. Also, Parkinson’s symptoms usually only start once half of the nerve cell activity in the substantia nigra has been lost.
What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?
Environmental pollution from pesticide use may be one root cause of Parkinson’s
It may surprise you to learn that the actual root causes of this nerve cell loss remain quite mysterious. Whilst studies have shed some light, there are still many questions. Genetics are thought to play a part in predisposing people towards experiencing the sort of nerve cell loss which is behind Parkinson’s. That being said, it is thought to be rare for Parkinson’s disease to actually be directly inherited.
Some researchers have suggested that environmental factors may be important. In particular, pollution caused by herbicides and pesticides, as well as from traffic and industrial sources, are all areas of great concern.
How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?
Parkinson’s disease cannot currently be cured. But, it can be treated with supportive therapies, medication, and even surgery. There are some specialist living aids for use by Parkinson’s sufferers. However, needless to say, these only form one tool amongst many in treating Parkinson’s.
Following a diagnosis in the UK, a care plan will generally be drawn up with assistance from suitably qualified healthcare professionals. This can involve everything from physical therapy to a personalised medication regime.
At Lifestyle & Mobility, a significant proportion of our customers are Parkinson’s sufferers at various stages of what is a progressive condition. Whilst we cannot and would not ever second-guess the advice of trained medical professionals, our staff will always do their best to help locate suitable products.
Ultimately though, prevention is better than cure. So, first and foremost, more understanding of the root causes of Parkinson’s disease will be the key to reducing the effects of this disease on sufferers and their loved ones.
For more information on Parkinson’s disease, we recommend the NHS website information pages as an excellent and entirely free resource. The link is shown below: