Parkinson’s disease: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement, causing symptoms such as tremor, stiff muscles, slow movements and loss of balance.

The exact cause of this disease, also known as Parkinson’s disease, is not fully known, but it is known that it occurs due to the death of neurons in the brain that are responsible for producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter whose function is to coordinate the body’s movements.

The treatment of Parkinson’s disease is carried out by a neurologist to control the symptoms and normally involves the use of medicines to increase levels of dopamine in the brain and other substances necessary for nerve stimulation and movement control.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are:

• Tremors, at rest
• Slowness of movements;
• Muscle stiffness;
• Difficulty moving and walking;
• flexed posture;
• Loss of balance and reflexes.

Furthermore, as the disease progresses, other symptoms may appear, such as decreased facial expressions and eye blinking, difficulty speaking, with a hoarse and slurred voice, difficulty swallowing food, frequent choking or depression, for example. See all the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease begin gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, but getting worse over time.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is made by a neurologist through evaluation of symptoms, health history and medication use, family history of the disease and physical examination.

Make an appointment with the neurologist in the region closest to you:

Possible causes

Parkinson’s disease is caused by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein in various parts of the brain, mainly in the substantia nigra, resulting in degeneration and death of neurons responsible for producing dopamine, which controls muscle tone and movement.

Although the cause of this accumulation of alpha-synuclein is not completely known, some research has shown that it may be the result of genetic changes, such as a mutation in the PARK-1 gene, environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins, or changes in the micron-gut axis. brain.

How the treatment is carried out

Treatment for Parkinson’s disease must be carried out with guidance from a neurologist to control the symptoms of the disease, delay the progression of the disease and improve quality of life.

The main treatments for Parkinson’s disease are:

1. Use of medicines

The main medications for Parkinson’s disease are levodopa and carbidopa, normally used in combination, as they increase the amount of dopamine in the brain, helping to control movements.

Other medications that may also be recommended by the doctor to improve symptoms are biperiden, amantadine, selegiline, bromocriptine or pramipexole, especially in the early stages.

2. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy, physical activity and occupational therapy are also very important to help treat Parkinson’s, as they encourage the restoration and recovery of movement.

Read too: Physiotherapy for Parkinson’s: what it is for and exercises

3. Deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation is a surgical treatment for advanced Parkinson’s disease carried out by neurosurgeons in large neurology centers, and improves symptoms and quality of life.

This treatment is carried out by implanting electrodes in a specific part of the brain, connected to a generator placed in the chest, which emits electrical impulses to the brain, reducing some symptoms. Check out more details about how Parkinson’s is treated.