Understanding Parkinsons Disease Essay -- Health Medicine

Understanding Parkinsons DiseaseDiagnosis of Parkinsons Disease To date, there are no specific diagnostic criteria for Parkinsons Disease. Diagnosis john only be made by an expert examination after the person has already developed symptoms. Biochemical measures can be utilise such(prenominal) as a screening strategy monitoring the dopamine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. Otherwise, specifically 6(18F)dopa positron emission tomography can be used for a direct measurement of dopamine activity. Using a computer to assess movement time is another test for Parkinsons disease. To examine the electrophysiological characteristics of tremor and preclinical nigral dysfunction characteristic of Parkinsons EMG (electromyographic recordings) can be used. Finally, a symptomatic screening is often utilized and consists of nine symptom tie in questions, as well as disease specific and drug specific questions. This provides an indirect functional measure of the nigrostriatal dopamine syst em.Facts about Parkinsons Disease change magnitude age strongly increases the danger of Parkinsons disease. Male gender and possibly Caucasian ancestry are associated with more modest increases in risk. The reported preponderance of Parkinsons disease varies widely in international community-based studies ranging from 31 to 328 per 100,000 people. Whether these differences represent actual differences in the occurrence of disease cannot be easily determined. This is due to the confine number of studies conducted and restricted population samples used. The risk factors of Parkinsons disease are primarily environmental and are not genetically based.Clinical Features The main clinical features in Parkinsons Disease include rigidity, bradyki... ...an de Silva, H.A. Khan, N.L. & Wood, N.W. (2000). The genetics of Parkinsons disease. Current Opinion in Genetics & Development 103 (June) 292-298. Tanner, C. M. (1996). Early encumbrance in Parkinsons Disease Epidemiologic Cons iderations. Ann Epidemiol. 6 5 438-441.Tasker, R.R. Lang, A.E. & Lozano, A..M.. (2000). Pallidal and Thalamic Surgery for Parkinsons Disease. Experimental Neurology. 1441 35 - 40.Veldman, B.A.J. Wijn, A.M. Knoers, N. Praamstra, P. & Horstink, M.W.I.M. (1998 ). Genetic and environmental risk factors in Parkinsons disease. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery 100115-26.Volkmann, J. & Sturm, V. (1998). Indication and results of stereotactic surgery for advanced Parkinsons disease. Critical Reviews in Neurosurgery. 84 209-216. For information regarding Parkinsons Disease http//www.parkinsonsweb.com/