c


 



 
 c
 


‡ Parkinson's disease is the second most

common neurodegenerative disorder and
the most common movement disorder.
‡ Parkinson's disease most often
develops after age 50.
‡ occurs when the nerve cells in the
brain that make dopamine are
slowly destroyed.
 c
 


‡ The term "parkinsonism" refers to any

condition that involves the types of
movement changes seen in Parkinson's
disease. Parkinsonism may be caused by
other disorders (such as secondary
parkinsonism) or certain medications.
 auses

‡ The immediate cause of Parkinson's

disease is degeneration of brain cells in
the area known as the substantia nigra,
one of the movement control centers of
the brain.
 ¢


‡ Automatic movements (such as blinking) slow or
stop
‡ onstipation
‡ Difficulty swallowing
‡ Drooling
‡ Impaired balance and walking
‡ Lack of expression in the face (mask-like
appearance)
‡ Muscle aches and pains
‡ Movement problems
 ¢ymptoms

‡ Rigid or stiff muscles, often beginning in

the legs
‡ ¢haking, tremors
 Treatment

‡ There is no known cure for Parkinson's

disease. The goal of treatment is to control
symptoms.
 ÷  


‡ Huntington's disease is a disorder passed

down through families in which certain
nerve cells in the brain waste away, or
degenerate.
 ause

‡ Huntington's disease causes neuron death

in three parts of the brain: the striatum, the
substantia nigra and the thalamus. While
the mutated gene coding is certainly the
cause, exactly how the mutation results
in the death of nerve cells is not
fully understood.
 Treatment

‡ There is no cure for Huntington's disease,

and there is no known way to stop the
disease from getting worse. The goal of
treatment is to slow down the course of
the disease and help the person
function for as long and as comfortably
s possible.
 




‡ Medications vary depending on the
symptoms. Dopamine blockers may help
reduce abnormal behaviors and
movements. Drugs such as haloperidol,
tetrabenazine, and amantadine are used
to try to control extra movements.
There has been some evidence to
suggest that co-enzyme Q10 may also
help slow down the course of the
disease.
 ¢


ehavior changes may occur before
movement problems, and can include:
‡ Antisocial behaviors
‡ Hallucinations
‡ Irritability
‡ Moodiness
‡ Restlessness or fidgeting
‡ Paranoia
‡ Psychosis
 „ 

     






‡ Head turning to shift eye position
‡ Facial movements, including grimaces
‡ ¢low, uncontrolled movements
‡ Quick, sudden, sometimes wild jerking
movements of the arms, legs, face,
and other body parts
‡ Unsteady gait
 Dementia that slowly gets
worse, including:
‡ Loss of memory
‡ Loss of judgment
‡ ¢peech changes
‡ Personality changes
‡ Disorientation or confusion
 Additional symptoms that may
be associated with this disease:

‡ Anxiety, stress, and tension

‡ Difficulty swallowing
‡ ¢peech impairment
 ¢ymptoms in children:

‡ Rigidity
‡ ¢low movements
‡ Tremor