What is Parkinson's

I know I promised some not-so-fun facts on Parkinson's disease so here are the basics in question and answer format.  Please know that the answers to these questions will be cut and paste from other websites.  :)


What is Parkinson's Disease?


Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system.  It is a motor system disorder which resulting from the loss of dopamine producing brain cells.   With an annual incidence of approximately 20 new cases per 100,000 people, the prevalence is 200 cases per 100,000 people or 0.2%. There are 1,000,000 or more people with PD in the United States; more patients than with multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and myasthenia gravis combined.


What causes Parkinson's Disease?


It is not known what causes the death of the dopamine producing brain cells which result in Parkinson's disease.  There is increasing evidence that Parkinson's disease may be inherited, but there is considerable controversy over this.  Most likely Parkinson's is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. 

There is some evidence that certain toxins in the environment may cause Parkinson's disease. Scientists have suggested that external or internal toxins may selectively destroy the dopaminergic neurons, causing Parkinson's disease. Toxins that may be linked to Parkinson's include manganese, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide, and some other pesticides.

Also, it is believed that oxidative stress can cause Parkinson's disease. Oxidation is a process in which free radicals (unstable molecules lacking one electron), in an attempt to replace the missing electron, react with other molecules (such as iron). Free radicals are normally formed in the brain and body, but usually the brain and body have mechanisms to get rid of them. In people with Parkinson's disease, the mechanisms may not be effective or they may produce too many free radicals. It is also possible that environmental toxins may contribute to abnormal free radical formation and lead to Parkinson's disease. Oxidation is thought to cause damage to tissues, including neurons. In most cases, antioxidants protect cells from free radical damage. (These past 2 paragraphs were cut and paste from webmd)

Is there a cure?

There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease.  Treatment options center around management of symptoms.