Anticholinergic drugs, such as Artane and Cogentin, block the actions of acetylcholine. Normally acetyl-choline slows your heart, constricts your pupils, con-tracts your bladder, and increases salivation, gut motility, and sweating. Blocking acetylcholine in the periphery...
Amantadine may improve PD by releasing dopamine from the neurons in the substantia nigra, or by blocking the production of acetylcholine. Drugs that block acetylcholine increase the activity of dopamine. Side effects of amantadine include...
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme found in mitochondria that exists in two forms: MAO-A and MAO-B. MAO-A breaks down adrenalin, noradrena-lin, and serotonin, and is found predominantly in cells lining the gut, liver, and...
One of the side effects people experience when taking dopamine agonists is drowsiness. Periods of daytime drowsiness, sometimes accompanied by falling asleep, occur in people with PD who are not on any treatment, those with...
A dopamine antagonist is a drug, such as Compazine, Haldol, or Thorazine, that blocks dopamine receptors in the brain. These drugs cause a form of Parkinson disease that is reversible when the drug is stopped....
Alternative or complementary drugs and vitamins are non-prescription, off-patent, and have not been subjected to the vigorous trials prescription drugs undergo. For a prescription drug to be prescribed for PD, it must undergo extensive testing...
In most patients, PD starts asymmetrically: on one side before the other. The asymmetry can appear as a lack of arm swing on one side, a turning-in or out of one foot, or a shuffling...
The goal of treatment is to provide you with the best possible quality of life. To do this, you must learn as much as you can about PD, work with your doctor, be willing to...
Sweat glands, called apocrine glands, release their secretions into hair follicles in your armpits, around your nipples, and in your groin. They’re tubular glands that extend below the superficial layer of your skin into the...
About 20% of people with PD lose weight, especially people with advanced PD. This weight loss can be marked, with patients losing 10–20% of their body weight over a short time (six months to a...
Swallowing difficulty (dysphagia) usually occurs late in PD, but may occur at any time and early on might be difficult to recognize. It can vary from mild (an inconvenience), to marked, resulting in significant weight...
Dizziness usually occurs in PD because of orthostatic or postural hypotension (a drop in blood pressure on sitting or standing). To understand why your blood pressure drops, you must understand hypertension or high blood pressure....
Falling and loss of balance occur in people with PD and can result in major injuries: fractured shoulders, hips, ankles, and even skulls. To decrease falling, it helps to understand why you lose your balance...
Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common symptom in advanced PD—PD that’s been diagnosed for at least five years. It occurs in 30% of PD patients with advanced PD, though it can also occur early...
There’s evidence that fatty acids, derived from dietary fat, may play a role in the progression of PD. Scientific studies indicate that the risk of developing PD is higher in people who eat saturated (animal)...
Molecules are composed of atoms bonded together, which is accomplished by the sharing of electrons. When two atoms come together and their electrons pair up, a bond is created. Such electron pairs are stable; nearly...
Adults store one to three grams of iron in their bodies (about 1/10 ounce), which is maintained through a balance between dietary intake and loss. After iron is absorbed, it is bound to a circulating...
PD worsens mainly due to increased cell death—the process is explained in this section. There are 100 billion neurons in the brain. For each nerve cell there are, perhaps, 10 times as many support cells,...
Parkinson disease is considered a progressive disorder because it changes with time; its initial symptoms may worsen and new symptoms may appear. The new symptoms may include postural hypotension (a drop in blood pressure on...
If you’ve been diagnosed with PD, you may feel many conflicting emotions. You may fear becoming physically, emotionally, and economically dependent on others or you may worry because the money that you’ve saved for retirement...
Some movement disorders involve increased movement and are termed hyperkinetic movement disorders. Tics and tremors fit this category, as do akathisia, chorea, and myoclonus. Akathisia is an inner sense of restlessness, like an “ants in...
Tremor is an involuntary oscillation of a group of muscles resulting in movement of an arm or a leg. In tremor, each oscillation resembles the previous one: they are rhythmical. However, the frequency and amplitude...
The diagnosis of PD is made on the basis of the presence of the four cardinal symptoms, but these symptoms are not exclusive to PD. There are several disorders that even to an expert may...
Dystonia is increased muscle tone, but it results from a different alteration in the nervous system than rigidity or spasticity. Dystonia usually results in your neck, arm, leg, or trunk becoming twisted or turned. An...
There are several gait disorders that either may be mistaken for PD or may co-exist with PD. Parkinson dis-ease does not protect you from having another gait disorder. Different gait disorders have different symptoms that...