What is Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a cognitive disorder that causes deterioration of several parts of the brain, resulting in severe disorders over a period. The condition causes slowed movement, involuntary shaking or quivering, balance and many other effects. Muscle control, movement, and balance are majorly affected by Parkinson’s disease; however, it can also be responsible for causing other effects on your senses, reasoning power and mental health that might require you to visit a psychiatrist in Punjab.

Who is more likely to be affected by Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is an age-related disorder, which means that as the age of an individual increases, they become prone to this disease. The condition is more likely to develop in individuals aged 60 and is found to be more common in males than females or individuals who were assigned male gender at birth. However, young adults, such as individuals in their 20s, can also fall prey to this condition, although it is very rare. Parkinson’s disease is a very common disorder and ranks second among the most common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. 

How does Parkinson’s disease affect the body?

The disease causes deterioration of a specific part of your brain known as basal ganglia. The deterioration of this area results in losing the ability to control several other areas of the body. 

People who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease experience major changes in their brain chemistry. The brain uses a chemical known as neurotransmitter while it is under normal circumstances to control the communication between brain cells. Dopamine, which is one of the major neurotransmitters in our brain, is affected by Parkinson’s disease, which results in disruption of its production. 

The cells in our body require dopamine to move different body parts as per the activation signals sent by the brain; the disrupted production of dopamine causes this movement to slow down, and results in tremors, which means shaking and quivering involuntarily. 

Fatigue caused by Parkinson’s also results in reducing sexual desire or libido for both men and women, leading them to lose their interest in participating in any sort of sexual activity. This can leave both partners with a feeling of sadness; therefore, consulting a sexologist in ludhiana may potentially alleviate the issue. 

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

Parkinson’s disease is known for its symptoms of muscle control; however, there are many other symptoms that the condition may include, such as:

Motor-related symptoms

 This means symptoms related to movement. These include: 

• Slowed movement (bradykinesia): this symptom causes loss of muscle control but there is no loss of strength. This is a prime symptom for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. 

• Shaking and quivering when the muscles are at rest: known as resting tremors that cause the muscles to shake when they are not being used. 

• Rigidity or stiffness: cogwheel stiffness and lead-pipe rigidity are two common symptoms of the condition that cause resistance in the movement of the limbs. 

• Unstable posture: the disease, due to stiffness and slowed movement, results in a hunched over or stooped stance. 

Non-motor symptoms

These symptoms are considered to be early signs of the beginning of the disease, which include: 

• Depression

• Autonomic nervous system symptoms

• Sleep problems

• Trouble thinking and concentrating

• Loss of sense of smell

Causes of Parkinson’s disease

Many possible risk factors are considered to be the cause of Parkinson’s disease; one of them is exposure to pesticides. However, the major factor that is confirmed for now to be the cause of Parkinson’s disease is genetic inheritance. 

Many conditions look like Parkinson’s but are actually Parkinsonism which means conditions similar to Parkinson’s; therefore, it is better to consult a doctor first before jumping to a conclusion.