Parkinson’s Cure: Treatment, Causes and Early Signs

Scientists are getting very close to discovering the cure for Parkinson’s disease. While the world only has treatments for prevention and symptom management to give patients a comfortable life, we might see that change soon.

This article will discuss the causes, treatments, and early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

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Having Parkinson’s disease means losing nerve cells in the brain resulting in major changes or abnormal body movements.

To get into detail, the part of the brain called substantia nigra is affected when a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

This part of the brain is responsible for the movements of a person. When a person is losing nerve cells in the substantia nigra, the production of dopamine is affected.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that sends messages and coordinates with the different parts of the body that involves movement. It helps us with the ability to plan and think and is also responsible for the feeling of pleasure.

The body’s dopamine production lessens when nerve cells are lost, which affects the movements in a person’s body.

According to a report by Parkinson’s Foundation, there are no evident triggers or causes where this disease comes from. Some experts relate it with having a genetic history and others from environmental factors, but none of them points to be conclusive yet.

However, people over 60 years old are more likely to be affected since reports state a 2-4% risk compared to 1-2% of people below that age.

Even if there is no convincing evidence, the development of PD may be related to a severe shock that may be caused by a head injury, mental condition, surgical operation, or even severe mental stress.

As of now, there is no known cure for this disease. However, treatments like drug therapy or brain surgery can help reduce the symptoms and make life easier for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

Although a cure is nowhere near yet, scientists claim that they will find better treatment in years to come, which is expected to happen within the decade. The past two years could have been the years of advancements for new drugs for PD, but the pandemic pushed some plans back.

As part of their advancements in finding the cure, Parkinson’s research has launched a virtual biotech for developing and testing new treatments.

Also, they are collaborating with international scientists to share thoughts, scientific discoveries to make testings more efficient and less costly.

Lastly, the research is also searching for other unlooked conditions that may pave the way for PD to develop in people. Searching for other possible options for why the loss of nerve cells is happening.

While there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease yet, doctors manage a patient’s symptoms to help give them a better quality of living.

Some treatments include supportive therapies, such as physiotherapy, and medication, which replace dopamine in the brain, while others require surgery.

The medications used to treat PD are the following:

• Levodopa
• Dopamine agonists
• COMT inhibitors (Catechol-o-methyl transferase)
• MAO B inhibitors (monoamine oxidase)
• Anticholinergics
• Amantadine (Symmetrel)

Levodopa: This is the most common drug and is mixed with Carbidopa. This drug is digested and transformed into dopamines in the brain. Side effects of this drug include dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, loss of memory, confusion, or change in the sense of taste. That is the reason why Carbidopa is added to the treatment, which deals with these side effects.

Dopamine agonists: This is an alternative to levodopa-carbidopa. It tricks the mind that it is receiving dopamine. This is less potent than levodopa and is less likely to cause dyskinesias. Side effects of dopamine agonists include nausea, hallucination, and lightheadedness. This treatment must be given at a low dose and should be increased gradually to prevent these effects.

COMT inhibitors: COMT inhibitors such as entacapone and tolcapone are some of the latest technologies in PD treatment. Although it does not directly affect the symptoms, this drug blocks the metabolism of levodopa, prolonging its effect.

MAO B inhibitors: MAO B is an enzyme that is responsible for the chemical breakdown of dopamine. MAO B inhibitors prevent this from happening, breaking down dopamine slowly. The two MAO B inhibitors are selegiline and rasagiline.

Anticholinergics: Anticholinergics are great to help with dealing with tremors. Although it does not directly treat PD, it relieves patients and lessens the symptoms of the disease. This treatment blocks a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which controls involuntary muscle movements and other bodily functions.

Amantadine: Amantadine is used to treat symptoms related to the treatment of Parkinson’s. It controls problems in movement by helping increase the amount of dopamine. At the same time, it can prevent symptoms of influenza, which can complicate the condition of a patient.

Another way of treating PD is through stem cell therapy to help with the neurological condition. It is said to restore the lost or damaged brain cells in a person with advanced PD.

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Since it is a slow-developing condition, it may be difficult to catch and confirm if a person is suffering from PD.

However, there are signs that a person should look after, which may lead to an early onset of the disease.

1. Tremor

Fingers, hands, or faces that are trembling without the influence of any physical stress or muscle injury can be an early sign that a person has PD.

2. Loss of Smell

Although this early sign can be confused with other conditions such as a cold or flu, having a permanent loss in smell could signify PD.

3. Restlessness

Difficulty in sleeping or sudden movements during sleep could be an early sign of Parkinson’s. This may seem normal for others, especially after having a physically draining day but experiencing this must be checked immediately.

4. Smaller Handwriting

Also known as micrographia, this condition is often related to PD and affects how a person writes as their handwriting progressively decreases in size.

5. Difficulty in Walking

Since PD directly affects the movement of a person, an early sign of having this disease is difficulty in walking or moving, especially when a person feels like their feet are stuck on the floor for no reason.

6. Hoarse voice

An early sign of PD involves having a softer voice. A person may think he/she has difficulty hearing, but it can be because the speaking voice decreases.

7. Facial Masking

A masked face is when a person gets a straight, serious, and depressed face even if he/she is not in a bad mood. The facial muscles may have been affected. Experiencing this could be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease.

8. Stooping

Like how a person’s motor movements are affected by PD, proper posture can also be changed. A person who would stand straight before could be hunching over now as early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

9. Dizziness

Another sign that can mean many things, dizziness or even fainting when standing up from a chair, often can be an early sign of PD. These conditions are linked to having low blood pressure, which is another symptom of having Parkinson’s disease.

10. Constipation

This early sign may be hard to catch since it is related to numerous conditions or circumstances. For example, a person without enough fiber or water in their diet could be constipated. However, if there are no triggers that lead to constipation, it would be best to see a doctor, especially if other signs are experienced.

There is no clear timeframe as to when the world will see the release of an FDA-approved Parkinson’s disease medicine. Rest assured, though, that many companies are working doubly hard to produce the cure, but for now, learning how to prevent and manage the disease will help battle it.