Parkinsons Disease Essay -- Brain Aging Diseases Papers

Parkinson’s Disease (from hereon PD) is an extrapyramidal disorder characterized primarily by massive idiopathic degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in greatly decreased levels of dopamine in the striatum. The diagnosis, which is essentially a clinical judgment due to the lack, thus far of a simple diagnostic test, has historically been on the basis of the presence of at least two of the three main features of PD: bradykinesia (or akinesia or hypokinesia), rigidity, and resting tremor. In addition to these symptoms, most PD patients also show postural disturbances, impaired righting reflexes, and abnormal ocular movements. The extent of the disease and its symptoms can be quantified by one of a few similar scales, including the motor examination of the Unified Rating Scale for Parkinson’s Disease, in which each of 14 motor aspects are scored from 0 to 4 and the scores totaled. The items in this particular scale are as follows: 1) spee ch; 2) facial expression; 3) tremor at rest; 4) action or postural tremor of hands; 5) rigidity; 6) finger taps; 7) hand movements; 8) rapid alternating movements of hands; 9) foot agility; 10) arising from chair; 11) posture; 12) postural stability; 13) gait; and 14) body bradykinesia or hypokinesia. In addition to the typical idiopathic PD, PD-like symptoms may be seen in a variety of other disorders, such as striatonigral degeneration (which I will mention later), Parkinsonism-dementia complex on Guam, supranuclear palsy, and occasionally Alzheimer’s Disease. The resting tremor usually seen in PD primarily affects the digits, hands and arms, head, and lips, and ceases during voluntary movement and sleep. This tremor characteristically has a high amplitude a... ...n Implants on Primate MPTP-Induced Parkinsonism. J Neurosurgery; 72: 231-244. 19. Apuzzo, M. L. J. et. al. (1990). Utilization of Unilateral and Bilateral Stereotactically Placed Adrenomedullary-Striatal Autografts in Parkinsonian Humans: Rationale, Techniques, and Observations. Neurosurgery; 26: 746-757. 20. Lieberman, A. et. al. (1989). Adrenal Medullary Transplants as a Treatment for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease. Acta Neurol. Scand.; 126: 189-196. 21. Nakai, M. et. al. (1990). Autologous Transplantation of the Superior Cervical Ganglion Into the Brain of Parkinsonian Monkeys. J. Neurosurgery; 72: 91-95. 22.Wolff, J. A. et. al. (1989). Grafting Fibroblasts Genetically Modified to Produce L-Dopa in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci., USA; 86: 9011-9014. 23.Carpenter, M. B. Core Text of Neuroanatomy (?). Scattered pages. Parkinson's Disease Essay -- Brain Aging Diseases Papers Parkinson’s Disease (from hereon PD) is an extrapyramidal disorder characterized primarily by massive idiopathic degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in greatly decreased levels of dopamine in the striatum. The diagnosis, which is essentially a clinical judgment due to the lack, thus far of a simple diagnostic test, has historically been on the basis of the presence of at least two of the three main features of PD: bradykinesia (or akinesia or hypokinesia), rigidity, and resting tremor. In addition to these symptoms, most PD patients also show postural disturbances, impaired righting reflexes, and abnormal ocular movements. The extent of the disease and its symptoms can be quantified by one of a few similar scales, including the motor examination of the Unified Rating Scale for Parkinson’s Disease, in which each of 14 motor aspects are scored from 0 to 4 and the scores totaled. The items in this particular scale are as follows: 1) spee ch; 2) facial expression; 3) tremor at rest; 4) action or postural tremor of hands; 5) rigidity; 6) finger taps; 7) hand movements; 8) rapid alternating movements of hands; 9) foot agility; 10) arising from chair; 11) posture; 12) postural stability; 13) gait; and 14) body bradykinesia or hypokinesia. In addition to the typical idiopathic PD, PD-like symptoms may be seen in a variety of other disorders, such as striatonigral degeneration (which I will mention later), Parkinsonism-dementia complex on Guam, supranuclear palsy, and occasionally Alzheimer’s Disease. The resting tremor usually seen in PD primarily affects the digits, hands and arms, head, and lips, and ceases during voluntary movement and sleep. This tremor characteristically has a high amplitude a... ...n Implants on Primate MPTP-Induced Parkinsonism. J Neurosurgery; 72: 231-244. 19. Apuzzo, M. L. J. et. al. (1990). Utilization of Unilateral and Bilateral Stereotactically Placed Adrenomedullary-Striatal Autografts in Parkinsonian Humans: Rationale, Techniques, and Observations. Neurosurgery; 26: 746-757. 20. Lieberman, A. et. al. (1989). Adrenal Medullary Transplants as a Treatment for Advanced Parkinson’s Disease. Acta Neurol. Scand.; 126: 189-196. 21. Nakai, M. et. al. (1990). Autologous Transplantation of the Superior Cervical Ganglion Into the Brain of Parkinsonian Monkeys. J. Neurosurgery; 72: 91-95. 22.Wolff, J. A. et. al. (1989). Grafting Fibroblasts Genetically Modified to Produce L-Dopa in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci., USA; 86: 9011-9014. 23.Carpenter, M. B. Core Text of Neuroanatomy (?). Scattered pages.