Team:Austin UTexas LASA/Description
Description
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra in the brain. Dopamine acts as a messenger between two brain areas, substantia nigra, and the corpus striatum, to produce controlled movements. When there is a shortage of dopamine, the communication between the two areas becomes ineffective and the movement becomes impaired. 
In short, the greater the loss of dopamine, the worst the movement-related symptoms. The severity of symptoms is measured with the Hoehn and Yahr scale, which indicates what stage an individual is in based on her movements. The motor system shows signs of Parkinson's through shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance, and difficulty in walking. As symptoms get worse, talking, chewing, speaking, or swallowing may be difficult for an individual. Dementia, loss of sense of smell, cognitive impairment, and constipation are other signs of Parkinson in its most advanced stages. Emotional symptoms may include depression, apathy, and anxiety. Typically, symptoms of Parkinson’s appear around the age of 60 and is more common in men than it is in women. Additionally, those who have family members who have had Parkinson’s are at risk of having Parkinson’s.
Genetic and pathological studies have shown dysfunctional cellular processes, inflammation, and stress can lead to cell damage. Abnormal clumps, called Lewy bodies, contain the protein alpha-synuclein and are found in the brain cells of those with Parkinson’s. Unfortunately, they are not well understood. Generally, scientists suspect that the loss of dopamine can be attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Although there is no one cure, there are various ways to overcome Parkinson’s. Surgery and deep brain stimulation can stimulate parts of the brain that control movement. They are typically recommended for people who have Parkinson’s Disease with motor movements and tremors that cannot be controlled by medication or for those that are intolerant to medication as long as they do not have neuropsychiatric problems. The tolcapone drugs inhibit the COMT enzyme that degrades dopamine. It is typically used to complement levodopa, but its use may be complicated by liver damage. Entacapone, a similar drug, does not show significant changes to the liver function. Dopamine agonists bind to dopamine receptors in a similar fashion to levodopa. They are typically used to delay the initiation of levodopa treatment in order to delay levodopa’s complications. Dopamine agonists are less effective at controlling motor symptoms than levodopa, but they are usually able to manage the symptoms in the first year of the treatment. They are typically preferred as the initial treatment in younger-onset Parkinson’s while levodopa is preferred for older-onset Parkinson’s. MAO-B inhibitors increase the amount of dopamine in the basal ganglia by inhibiting the activity of monoamine oxidase B, an enzyme that breaks down dopamine. They are similar to dopamine agonists, but have more adverse effects and are less effective at controlling Parkinson’s disease motor symptoms. Regular exercise with or without physical therapy can improve mobility, flexibility, strength, gait speed, and quality life.
References
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