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Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons Disease. Paramedic Fall 2007 By Aaron Pittis. What is Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is “a common chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system that produces movement disorders and changes in cognition and mood”. (Venes 1519). History of Pakinson’s.

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Parkinsons Disease

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  1. Parkinsons Disease Paramedic Fall 2007 By Aaron Pittis

  2. What is Parkinson’s • Parkinson’s is “a common chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system that produces movement disorders and changes in cognition and mood”. (Venes 1519)

  3. History of Pakinson’s • 1817 first documented by Dr. James Parkinson • 1960 researchers indentify that patients with Parkinson’s have low dopamine levels • Dopamine crucial to smooth muscle movement • This led to first available treatments • ~500,000 People in America affected • ~50,000 new cases yearly • Average age of onset 60 y/o

  4. Parkinson’s S/S • Tremors • Affecting the hands, legs, arms, and jaw • Rigidity or Stiffness • Affecting the limbs and trunk • Bradykinesia • Slowing of movement • Impaired balance and coordination

  5. Signs and Symptoms Cont. • Parkinson’s due to its progressive nature its effects will vary from patient to patient. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L15wsLWquc

  6. Causes • Nerve cells in an area of the brain called the SubstantiaNigra are damaged or destroyed. These cell release dopamine which is essential for transmissions for your muscles to make smooth, controlled movements. • Genetic • People with a direct relative with Parkinsons is more likely to develop the disease than someone with no relationship

  7. Causes Cont. • Environmental Factors • Rural living, well water, herbicide, pesticides. • Synthetic narcotic agent called MPTP can cause immediate and permanent parkinsonism if injected.

  8. Treatment • There is no cure… • Treat the disease by treating the symptoms • Current treatments: • Pharmacologically • Surgically • Deep Brain Stimulation • Future treatments and possibly a cure from controversial embryonic stem cell research?

  9. Pharmacological Treatment • Medications that are converted to dopamine in the brain or dopamine agonists tricking the brain into thinking it is receiving dopamine. • Most commonly used medication is Levodopa • No longer produced in United States according to the U.S. National library of Medicine • Is commonly prescribed as Sinemet® which is a combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa • Levodopa is converted into dopamine in the brain • Carbidopa prevents the Levodopa from breaking down before it reaches the brain Information from US National Library of Medicine

  10. Surgical Treatment • A surgically implanted device similar to a pacemaker except the electrodes go into the brain near the Subthalamic Nucleus delivering low-voltage stimulation to correct errant impulse that impair motor function Information and Picture from www.wired.com

  11. Embryonic Stem Cell Research • Embryonic Stem Cells • The inner cell mass of a human embryo, have the potential to develop into all or nearly all of the tissues in the body. • Possible/Desired Research Outcomes • Replacement of dopamine secreting neurons in the brain of a Parkinson patient • Ethical Issues and Controversy • The harvesting of the stem cells Courtesy of The Whitehouse Fact Sheet on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

  12. Myths • Aspartame can cause Parkinson’s • False (www.aspartame.org) • Ecstasy will cause Parkinson’s • False (http://everything2.com) That’s all I could find

  13. References • Venes,D MD, Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary , Philedelphia: F.A. Davis Company 2001 • http://www.pdf.org/ • http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/levodopa_ids.htm • http://memorylossonline.com • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682394.html • www.wired.com • www.whitehouse.gov • www.aspartame.org • Paramedic Care By Brady Textbooks

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