Parkinson's Disease
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Parkinson's Disease
NIH - Medical Encyclopedia Parkinson's disease
"Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain characterized by shaking (tremor) and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. The disease is associated with damage to a part of the brain that is involved with movement. Some people with Parkinson's disease become severely depressed. This may be due to loss of dopamine in certain brain areas involved with pleasure and mood. Lack of dopamine can also affect motivation and the ability to make voluntary movements. Early loss of mental capacities is uncommon. However, persons with severe Parkinson's may have overall mental deterioration (including dementia and hallucinations). Dementia can also be a side effect of some of the medications used to treat the disorder. ...
Symptoms:
Muscle rigidity Unstable, stooped, or slumped-over posture Loss of balance Gait (walking pattern) changes Shuffling walk Slow movements Difficulty initiating any voluntary movement Small steps followed by the need to run to maintain balance Freezing of movement when the movement is stopped, inability to resume movement Muscle aches and pains (myalgia) Shaking, tremors (varying degrees, may not be present) Changes in facial expression Reduced ability to show facial expressions Voice or speech changes Loss of fine motor skills Frequent falls Decline in intellectual function (may occur, can be severe) A variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, mainly constipation.symptoms may be difficult to assess, particularly in the elderly. For example, the tremor may not appear when the person is sitting quietly with arms in the lap. The posture changes may be similar to osteoporosis or other changes associated with aging. Lack of facial expression may be a sign of depression. An examination may show "cogwheel" rigidity (jerky, stiff movements), tremors of the Parkinson's type, and difficulty initiating or completing voluntary movements. Reflexes are essentially normal. Tests are not usually specific for Parkinson's, but they may be required to rule out other disorders that cause similar symptoms. See also essential tremor."
Highlighted Article
[Clinical criteria of Parkinson's disease.] (Ther Umsch. 2007)
"The clinical criteria of Parkinson's disease are akinesia in combination with at least one of the following three symptoms: tremor (asymmetrical resting tremor), rigidity, impairment of posture, gait and balance. Symptomatic and atypical parkinsonian syndromes are ruled out by history, clinical examination, cranial CT, MRI, SPECT or PET. Patients with Parkinson's disease respond to levodopa or dopaminagonists throughout the course of the disease."
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Notes
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Parkinson's Disease
Daily Treatment Report
Cognitive Therapy-CBT-Psychotherapy
Device Therapy
Drug Side-Effects and Interactions
Neuropathy as a potential complication of levodopa use in Parkinson's disease. (Mov Disord. 2008)
Relationship between weight, levodopa and dyskinesia: the significance of levodopa dose per kilogram body weight. (Eur J Neurol. 2008) "Conclusion: Higher levodopa dose per kilogram body weight is an independently significant factor for developing dyskinesia. This relationship should be considered in treatment of Parkinson's disease patients aiming to prevent and manage dyskinesia."
Drugs
Exercise
Tai Chi improves balance and mobility in people with Parkinson disease
Tai chi chuan in the management of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. (Med Sport Sci. 2008)
Does Treadmill Training Improve Lower-Extremity Tasks in Parkinson Disease? A Randomized Controlled Trial. (Clin J Sport Med. 2008) CONCLUSIONS:: Even though long-term effects remain unknown and the study sample was small, it was concluded that treadmill training in PD patients led to improvements in lower-extremity tasks, thus improving patients' physical well-being in daily life.
Effectiveness of tai chi for Parkinson's disease: A critical review. (Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2008)
Parkinson's Patients Take Up Boxing to Fight Disease
General Information
Practical evidence-based management of motor and non-motor complications in late Parkinson's disease (Geriatrics 2008)
Antipsychotic medication treatment for mild hallucinations in Parkinson's disease: Positive impact on long-term worsening. (Mov Disord. 2008)
Current management of the Cognitive Dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: how far have we come? (Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2008)
Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system) [Posted 04/09/2008] Schwarz Pharma informed healthcare professionals and patients of the recall of Neupro, a transdermal delivery system worn on the skin and used to treat early stage Parkinsons disease, at the end of April 2008, because of the formation of rotigotine crystals in the patches. When the drug crystallizes, less drug is available to be absorbed through the skin and the efficacy of the product may vary.
Guidelines
Immunotherapy
Internet Sites
Treatment Information
Drug-Food-Supplement Information
DrugDigest (drug interactions)
FDA - Drug Interactions: What You Should Know
NIH - Botanical Dietary Supplements: Background Information
NIH - Drug, Supplements, and Herbal Information
NIH - Herbal Supplements: Consider Safety, Too
NIH - Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets
Nutrition
Other
Other Treatments
Effectiveness of acupuncture for Parkinson's disease: A systematic review. (Mov Disord. 2008) In conclusion, the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating PD is not convincing. The number and quality of trials as well as their total sample size are too low to draw any firm conclusion.
Speech Treatment for Parkinson's Disease (Expert Rev Neurother. 2008)
Experimental
Radiotherapy
Supplements-Vitamins-CAM
Surgery
Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation Ameliorates Parkinsonian Tremor
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