The Shaking Palsy
The Shaking Palsy and The Stem Cell
INTRODUCTION 1- Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome characterized by at least two of four cardinal features: bradykinesia (slowness and minimal movement), rigidity, resting tremor (trembling), and an impairment of postural balance leading to disturbance of gait and falling. The most common type of parkinsonism is idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD), first described in an essay by James Parkinson, an English physician, in 1817 as paralysis agitans (the shaking palsy).
In the early 1960s, researchers identified a fundamental defect that is a hallmark of the disease: the loss of brain cells that produce an important chemical, dopamine, which helps direct muscle activity. Progressive loss of dopamine-containing neurons is a feature of normal aging; however, most people do not lose the 70% to 80% of the dopaminergic neurons required to cause symptomatic PD. Without treatment, PD progresses over 5 to 10 years to a rigid, akinetic state in which patients are incapable of caring for themselves. Death may result from complications of immobility, such as aspiration pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.
SYMPTOMS-
Parkinsons Disease is a motor system disorder. The four primary symptoms are tremor (trembling) in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia (slowness of movement); and postural instability (impaired balance and coordination). As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing simple tasks. Other symptoms include an expressionless face, reduced manual dexterity, handwriting difficulties, drooling, sleep problems, urination at night, depression and anxiety, constipation, and difficulty turning in bed at night.
The disease is chronic and progressive, but it does not affect everyone in the same way. PD may appear to be progressing faster in some patients than in others. Some patients become
INTRODUCTION 1- Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome characterized by at least two of four cardinal features: bradykinesia (slowness and minimal movement), rigidity, resting tremor (trembling), and an impairment of postural balance leading to disturbance of gait and falling. The most common type of parkinsonism is idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD), first described in an essay by James Parkinson, an English physician, in 1817 as paralysis agitans (the shaking palsy).
In the early 1960s, researchers identified a fundamental defect that is a hallmark of the disease: the loss of brain cells that produce an important chemical, dopamine, which helps direct muscle activity. Progressive loss of dopamine-containing neurons is a feature of normal aging; however, most people do not lose the 70% to 80% of the dopaminergic neurons required to cause symptomatic PD. Without treatment, PD progresses over 5 to 10 years to a rigid, akinetic state in which patients are incapable of caring for themselves. Death may result from complications of immobility, such as aspiration pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.
SYMPTOMS-
Parkinsons Disease is a motor system disorder. The four primary symptoms are tremor (trembling) in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia (slowness of movement); and postural instability (impaired balance and coordination). As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing simple tasks. Other symptoms include an expressionless face, reduced manual dexterity, handwriting difficulties, drooling, sleep problems, urination at night, depression and anxiety, constipation, and difficulty turning in bed at night.
The disease is chronic and progressive, but it does not affect everyone in the same way. PD may appear to be progressing faster in some patients than in others. Some patients become