This paper provides a broad overview of Parkinson's disease (PD), tracing its history from James Parkinson's 1817 essay to modern research. It examines the neurological basis of the disease — particularly its effect on dopamine production — as well as genetic and environmental risk factors such as pesticide exposure. The paper discusses common symptoms, the difficulty of early diagnosis, and the role of movement in slowing disease progression, illustrated through the case of dancer Pamela Quinn. It also addresses surgical treatment options such as pallidotomy and concludes with a call for greater social understanding of those living with PD.
All people contract a disease sooner or later, and their well-being depends on the severity of the respective malady. There are numerous diseases known to mankind, and some of them go back to the early ages, when people first became aware that illnesses exist and that they need to be treated. Parkinson's disease has been known since medieval times, but it was officially recognized in 1817 when James Parkinson wrote about it in his essay "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy."
Doctor James Parkinson originally called the disease "the shaking palsy." Because the doctor had dedicated much of his time to documenting its symptoms, people came to refer to the malady as Parkinson's disease.
Most people suffering from Parkinson's disease are unaware that they carry it until it reaches its later stages. The disease usually affects those who are over 50 years old, as it is rare in younger people. Generally, as the person who has the disease grows older, the disease also evolves and affects its carrier more severely. Parkinson's disease (PD) has various risk factors. Men are more likely to contract the disease than women, though scientists have not yet been able to determine what makes men more vulnerable.
It is possible for people to carry a genetic predisposition to the disease and to become ill because of several factors that create favorable conditions for its progression. PD mainly affects dopamine production in the brain. Dopamine is responsible for supporting motor function, and without it people experience severe movement problems. Approximately 80% of the dopamine found in a healthy person is absent in those suffering from PD. Medications that supplement dopamine have been developed and have proved effective, as the progression of PD has been slowed in patients who use them.
PD apparently progresses slowly during its first 15 years, but afterward it is very possible for it to evolve much more rapidly.
Environmental exposures may be responsible for causing PD in otherwise healthy individuals. Toxic substances released into the environment can be extremely dangerous when people come into contact with them. Researchers have found that a certain pesticide affects brain cells in a manner similar to PD, and have therefore considered the possibility that it may be accountable for causing the disease. When tested on rats, the pesticide proved to produce effects similar to those of PD, with neurons in the brain being damaged by the substance. Just as people with PD, the rats experienced movement disorders after being administered the substance. Researchers have also found that pesticides are generally harmful to humans who come into contact with them (Twombly).
From analyzing the damage that such substances cause, it would be reasonable for actions to be taken to prevent human contact with pesticides. The fact that a pesticide might cause PD in some people does not mean that it affects everyone who comes into contact with it, and very few people actually develop PD as a result of pesticide exposure. Nevertheless, Parkinson's researchers implicate both genes and pesticide exposure as contributing factors in the development of PD.
There are several symptoms that can help detect PD at an early stage, though not all symptoms are universally recognized. One of the most common early symptoms is the loss of smell. The main symptoms that are most widely known are depression, tremor, and slowed movement. Depression is believed to be one of the primary symptoms because of its many similarities with PD. People who are depressed show signs of persistent fatigue, have trouble sleeping and concentrating, and often display a blank facial expression. However, some researchers have rejected the idea that depression is one of PD's primary symptoms. They argue that numerous people suffering from PD are not depressed and have had no association with depression throughout their lives (Silverman and Henry).
It is difficult to diagnose PD at an early stage both because patients often refrain from seeing a doctor when they experience the initial symptoms and because some doctors fail to recognize the early signs of the disease.
PD is a very common disease, with millions of people worldwide suffering from it. "About 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's yearly, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which estimates that the total cost of health care for Parkinson's patients will exceed $5.6 billion this year" (Henkel). A number of famous individuals have been affected by the disease over time, among the most notable being Pope John Paul II, boxer Muhammad Ali, and Mao Tse-Tung, with Adolf Hitler also being presumed to have had the condition.
"Dancer uses movement to slow disease progression"
"Misdiagnosis risks and pallidotomy surgery"
Franklin H. Silverman and Barbara Henry. "Depression: A Primary Symptom of Parkinson Disease?" The Journal of Rehabilitation, Vol. 55, 1989.
John Henkel. "Parkinson's Disease: New Treatments Slow Onslaught of Symptoms." FDA Consumer, Vol. 32, July–August 1998.
Pamela Quinn. "Struggling to Move: Parkinson's Disease Took Her Dance Away, but Dance Gave Back." Dance Magazine, Vol. 81, December 2007.
Renee Twombly. "Pesticides and Parkinson Disease." Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 112, 2004.
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