Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that gradually affects your ability to walk, talk and engage in life. The neurologists at Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic use the latest therapies to manage Parkinson's symptoms, helping to improve your quality of life.

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a nervous system (neurological) disorder that affects your movements and other body functions. It’s one of the most common neurological disorders affecting people over age 50.

Parkinson’s disease slowly damages and destroys nerve cells (neurons) in your brain that make dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) that sends signals from your brain to the rest of your body to help you move. Dopamine also plays a key role in memory, mood, learning, sleep and behavior.

Over time, the loss of neurons makes it difficult to walk, talk and complete daily tasks.

Causes of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease often occurs for no known reason. Your health care provider may use the term “idiopathic” to mean that the cause is unknown.

In some people, a gene change (mutation) causes the condition. You may inherit this gene change, or it may occur randomly.

Parkinson’s disease symptoms

Signs of Parkinson’s disease come on gradually. The condition causes movement (motor) symptoms as well as nonmotor symptoms.

Motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are more noticeable when you’re resting. They can affect one side of your body or both. Common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:

• Balance issues
• Limb stiffness or rigidity
• Pill-rolling motion (rubbing your thumb and forefinger together)
• Slowed movements (bradykinesia)
• Tremors, especially when you’re resting
• Trouble walking (gait changes)

Nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease may include:

• Anxiety, apathy and/or depression
• Constipation and/or urinary leakage (incontinence)
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing (dysphagia) or speaking
• Fatigue
• Low blood pressure when you stand up (orthostatic hypotension)
• Muscle cramps or pain
• Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
• Sleep issues

 Parkinson’s disease types

Types of Parkinson’s disease include:

• Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease: This most common form of Parkinson’s disease occurs for no known reason.
• Familial Parkinson’s disease: A gene change inherited from a family member leads to familial Parkinson’s disease.
• Early-onset Parkinson’s disease: Also called young-onset Parkinson’s disease, this condition affects people younger than age 50. In rare instances, it may appear as early as childhood or adolescence.

Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

There isn’t a specific test to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and review your symptoms and medical history. Your primary care provider may refer you to a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in nervous system disorders.

Certain tests can help your doctor make a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. These tests may include:

• Neurological exam to check for issues with memory, thinking and brain function
• Genetic testing to look for gene changes that cause familial Parkinson’s disease
• Skin biopsy test to check skin cells for abnormal proteins linked to Parkinson’s disease
• Imaging tests, such as a brain MRI or single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan, to rule out disorders that cause similar symptoms
• Dopamine active transporter (DaT) scan to look for changes to the brain’s dopamine system

Parkinson’s disease risk factors

Certain factors may increase your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, including:

• Exposure to toxins, such as pesticides
• Male sex assigned at birth
• Parent, sibling or child with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease treatments

Treatments for Parkinson’s disease help ease symptoms, but there is no a cure. Treatments may include:

• Medications to boost dopamine levels
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) to surgically implant a device that sends mild electrical pulses to your brain, reducing tremors and involuntary movements
• Physical therapy and occupational therapy to improve flexibility, mobility and ability to do everyday tasks
• Speech therapy to improve swallowing and speech
• Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture and massage, to ease muscle stiffness and pain