Progress in Parkinson’s

 The document is an article whose title is « Progress in Parkinson’s ». It was published in april 2O22 (twenty twenty two) by « News in health ». NIH is a monthly  American newsletter from the National Institutes of Health which gathers experts, doctors and journalists. We don’t know the name of the author.

The article talks about Parkinson’s disease, which is a neurodegenerative disease. That means it gets worse over time. Parkinson’s disease develops when a type of nerve cell dies that can no longer produce dopamine. Without dopamine the brain is no longer able to perform fluid and targeted movements. Lack of dopamine therefore makes body movements slow and more difficult. Symptoms may be; tremors, stiffness, spasms that can cause walking difficulties.

The diagnosis is based on symptoms because there is no medical test. Scientists try to make a Parkinsonian diagnosis before the first movement-related symptoms appear. Despite not knowing the cause of dopamine loss, they have discovered that symptoms such as constipation, loss of smell, mood swings, increasing anxiety, and sleep disorders can be early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, explains Dr beth-anne Sieber, an NIH expert on movement disorders. In addition, NIH is funding a study to find out why some people with REM (rapid eye movement) sleep disorder during their dream develop Parkinson’s disease more easily.

There are individual risk factors, age being the primary risk factor. There are also genetic and environmental, such as exposure to pesticides, heavy metals and pollution. Parkinson’s disease also has a hereditary side although people contracting the disease have no notion of heredity. Only one percent of the population develops this disorder after age 60.

Currently there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. However, in order to maintain a good quality of life, treatments to relieve symptoms are put in place. The drug “Levodopa” has been proven to compensate for this loss of dopamine. Singing would strengthen the voice and other functions such as swallowing. As for the rhythm of the music it would help to walking and stability. Deep brain stimulation may be a good option in some cases.

Dr. beth-anne Sieber says NIH-supported research has shown that intensive exercise, such as treadmill racing and cycling, improves the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Now researchers are trying to determine which types and times of exercise work best.  Therefore, it is advisable to start an exercise program from the beginning to slow the progression of the disease.

Other studies have attempted to find answers through biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid, brain imaging results, blood molecules, or other bodily fluids.

Answers could be found in the alphasynuclein biomarker, which is a protein that accumulates in the brain as toxic clusters. Unfortunately, this bio marker is only measurable once the person dies, which is why the researchers try to measure it through tests that can be performed on the living. In addition, this bio marker could also be used to help monitor the progression of Parkinson’s disease and the effectiveness of treatments.

To conclude the disease significantly affects the quality of life of carriers of this pathology. There is no cure, but scientists are trying to find a cure. In return, it is advisable to contact your doctor if symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are noticed.

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