By: Alejandro Navarro and Andrea Ors

Content

• Introduction

• What is Parkinson's disease?

• What causes the disease?

• History

• Main symptoms

• Treatment

• Statistics

Introduction

• Parkinson's disease may be one of the most baffling and complex neurological disorders.

• Is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder.

• The main age of onset of symptoms is around 60 years

• Its cause remains a mystery but research in this area is active, with new and intriguing findings constantly being reported.

What is Parkinson's disease?

-Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders.

-The disease is both chronic, meaning it persist over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time.

-As yet, there is no way to predict or prevent the disease.

What causes the disease?

• Parkinson's disease happens when certain nerve cells, or neurons, in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra die or become impaired.

Substantia nigra

History

• First described in 1817 by James Parkinson.

• In the early 1960s, researchers identified the loss of brain cells that produce dopamine.

Main symptoms-Motor Problems• Tremor

• Rigidity

• Postural deformity

• Slowness of movement

• Speech and swallowing

disturbances

-Non-motor problems• Depression, anxiety, dementia

• Sleep disorders (insomnia, REM disturbances)

• Eye and vision abnormalities (slower blink, dry eyes...)

TreatmentThere is no cure for Parkinson's disease.

• Pharmacological treatment -Levadopa

• Surgery -Neurosurgery

• Rehabilitation

< 5 years

< 80 years

Years lost due to Parkinson's disease

Sources• http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/

parkinson_disease_spanish.htm#sintomas

• http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm

• http://www.patient.co.uk/health/parkinsons-disease

• http://www.medicinenet.com/parkinsons_disease/article.htm