Have You Heard of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Parkinson's Disease?

The 11th of this month is World Parkinson's Day, established to commemorate James Parkinson, the British physician who first reported Parkinson's disease to the academic community.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder closely related to aging, caused by the loss of dopamine-secreting cells in the substantia nigra of the midbrain.

The substantia nigra is a blackish-brown gray matter located in the midbrain where nerve cells gather. Dopamine produced here acts on brain regions related to motor control, regulating the body's motor functions.

When dopamine cells in the substantia nigra are lost due to Parkinson's disease, motor function declines and movements slow down, leading others to say things like "slow behavior," "looks weak," "clumsy movements," or "lacking."

According to the National Health Insurance Service's public interest disease statistics, the number of Parkinson's disease patients increased steadily by 8.7%, from 120,977 in 2018 to 131,548 in 2021.

As of 2021, female patients accounted for 67%, more than twice the number of male patients (33%), and by age group, the highest prevalence was among those aged 80 and above, followed by those in their 70s and 60s, showing a higher incidence in the elderly population.

Among patients, 5?10% are confirmed to have genetic causes, but the exact cause has not yet been identified. Parkinson's disease does not cause sudden loss of dopamine cells but a gradual loss, and symptoms appear when 50?70% of these cells are lost.

There is no special diagnostic method, so the most important factor in diagnosing Parkinson's disease is the symptoms exhibited by the patients.

Resting tremor, a symptom where the body trembles even without any movement, is a representative symptom appearing in 70% of patients in the early stages.

Overall, movements become slower and the body stiffens, losing joint flexibility and giving the impression of a robot-like movement. The posture becomes stooped, and during walking, the body's center of gravity shifts forward, sometimes resulting in a phenomenon called festinating gait, where steps become progressively faster.

As Parkinson's disease progresses to the mid-stage, postural instability worsens, making patients unable to respond to small changes and prone to falls, increasing the risk of trauma such as fractures. Additionally, non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, apathy, cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, and sensory abnormalities may accompany the disease.

Brain image. [Image source=Clipart Korea]

In typical Parkinson's disease, diagnosis can be made sufficiently through symptoms and neurological examinations. However, to differentiate from secondary Parkinsonism, atypical Parkinsonism, cerebrovascular diseases, and others with similar symptoms, blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and brain imaging tests such as positron emission tomography (PET) to measure the density and distribution of dopamine transporters may be performed.

Dr. Moon In-su, head of the Cerebrovascular Neurology Center at Daedong Hospital, said, "Among patients visiting the hospital, symptoms of slowed movements are often mistaken for stroke, but unlike stroke which occurs suddenly, Parkinson's disease is characterized by gradual progression."

Dr. Moon added, "Since the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease are difficult for the general public to distinguish from other diseases, it is advisable to visit a medical institution for diagnosis if abnormal symptoms appear."

Although Parkinson's disease is difficult to treat, early diagnosis allows for interventions such as medication, rehabilitation therapy, and surgery to delay disease progression.

In particular, Parkinson's patients often complain of pain due to muscle rigidity, so continuous rehabilitation therapies such as gait training and posture correction are necessary to slow the progression of muscle stiffness.

Additionally, radiofrequency treatment is used when long-term medication and rehabilitation therapy no longer provide effective results.

Currently, no clear cause or prevention method for Parkinson's disease is known, but regular exercise has a positive effect on neurodegenerative diseases, so it is recommended to find and consistently engage in exercise suitable for oneself.

Moreover, maintaining a healthy lifestyle by consuming a balanced diet, maintaining an appropriate weight, and preventing constipation is beneficial.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.