16 Sep Understanding Parkinson’s Disease In Seniors
Parkinson’s Disease, which attacks millions of people worldwide, generally affects older adults, more than the younger generation, by impacting the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. In fact, 95% of Parkinson’s Disease patients are over the age of 60. Moreover, there are more male patients than females, with the reason behind this fact yet unknown.
What causes Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s Disease is when the brain cells that produce dopamine are affected. Dopamine is the chemical that controls muscle movement throughout the body; and with the decrease in the levels of dopamine, the movements become jerky or difficult to control. There is thus involuntary movement, or slow or rigid movement.
Why is Parkinson’s Disease more common in seniors?
Scientists believe that the reason why Parkinson’s Disease is more common in seniors is because of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As people age, the function of the brain cells begins to decline, causes the cells to eventually die. The basic reasons that cause death of these cells are oxidative damage, accumulation of mitochondrial DNA defects, and accumulation of neuromelanin.
Why does Parkinson’s Disease bring greater impairment among seniors?
It has been identified that seniors diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in their late 70s have greater impairments than those diagnosed earlier, maybe in their 60s. A research was done to review patients with middle-age Parkinson’s Disease onset and those with old-age Parkinson’s Disease onset. The study showed that those with old-age onset scored significantly higher on the Parkinson’s Disease Rating scale for motor skills in terms of rigidity, axial impairment, and bradykinesia. This could be because of significant destruction of nerve pathways from the substantia nigra to the basal ganglia, comorbidities, or reduced compensatory mechanisms leading to rapid disease progression.
The genes linked to Parkinson’s Disease
- Mutations in the LRRK2 gene are prevalent in patients with Parkinson’s Disease.
- The PARK2 gene creates Parkin, which is a protein that aids in breaking down and recycling proteins. Mutations in this gene are present in young onset Parkinson’s Disease.
- Patients with an early onset have mutations in the protein DJ-1, which protects cells from oxidative stress.
- Patients with early onset have mutations in the PINK1 gene that protects structures within mitochondria from stress.
- Early onset of Parkinson’s Disease could also be because of mutations in the SNCA which makes the alpha-synuclein protein, which accumulates into clumps.
How can Parkinson’s Disease be identified?
There are a number of different types of symptoms that can arise with Parkinson’s Disease in seniors; some of them being poor balance, tremors, slow movement, and lack of coordination. Other non-motor symptoms may include impaired memory, constipation, anxiety, depression, reduced sense of smell, increased sweating, increased salivation, urination problems, and trouble sleeping. So, if these symptoms, or even a few of these are seen in an individual, he is advised to approach a specialist like Dr. Shivam Mittal, who can offer the most suitable and successful advanced Parkinson’s Disease treatment in UAE to every patient, no matter what the age.
