Parkinson

Clinical picture

Morbus Parkinson – named after the English physician James Parkinson (1755-1824) – is one of the most common neurological disorders. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are affected in Germany alone.

Parkinson’s disease affects the areas of the brain that control movement. Although still not curable, the disease is no longer as intimidating as it once was.

With a wide variety of therapies, patients can now lead a largely normal life over a longer period of time. And with drugs such as L-Dopa and dopamine agonists, Parkinson patients have an almost normal life expectancy.

First signs of Parkinson’s disease

When the disease first starts, symptoms are often very unspecific and may include the following:

• fatigue
• lack of stamina
• reduction in general muscular tone
• depression
• poor concentration and temporary loss of memory.

Orthopaedic complaints such as backache and a shoulder-arm syndrome may also be signs of Parkinson’s.

Cardinal signs

When 60 to 70 percent of the brain’s nerve cells that produce dopamine (the neurotransmitter that controls the body’s movement) are impaired in their function, the following characteristic symptoms occur

• restricted fine motor skills
• tremor
• rigidity or stiffness of muscles (Rigor)
• imbalance
• akinesia (decrease in voluntary movement).

Concomitant symptoms

The autonomic concomitant symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can include

• increased salivation
• perspiration
• bladder dysfunction and constipation
• sleep disturbances
• sexual dysfunction.