Slowing is one of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, very common in the population, progressive and incurable, which is treated with medications aimed at relieving motor and non-motor symptoms.
In some cases, when there is drug resistance, surgery is performed to help the patient improve their quality of life.
Héctor Rubén Martínez Hernández, neurologist and director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Associated Movement Disorders Clinic at the ABC Medical Center’s Neurological Center, yesterday provided an overview of the advances in the management of the disease, within the framework of the commemoration of World Brain Care Week.
He said Parkinson’s is a medical condition that causes mobility problems, slowness and tremor, a cardinal characteristic that, however, not all patients present, nor do all those who tremble have Parkinson’s.
The condition also causes stiffness and postural problems, which are recognized as part of the disease, which is neurodegenerative, chronic, progressive, and incurable but can be controlled. It is also associated with gait impairment, dysarthria, and swallowing disorders.
The disease was first reported in India in the early 19th century, but it was not until 1817 that James Parkinson described the illness as a shaking paralysis and spoke of a lack of dopamine as a condition for its onset, which can now be substituted to alleviate the symptoms.
Genetic
When the condition occurs in young people, it is considered that there is a genetic cause. However, age is the most consistent factor in its appearance, since the older the person is, the greater the risk of developing Parkinson’s.
The disease occurs 15 times more often in men than in women. Those at greatest risk are those who have had contact with pesticides and toxins, and are three times more likely to become ill.
Dairy consumption is a risk factor, as are low weight and work stress.
Dr. Martínez points out that Parkinson’s is often diagnosed incorrectly, meaning that a precise diagnosis is not reached until 10 years after the onset of the disease.
This is because, as it usually occurs in older people, symptoms such as slowness are seen as normal for that age.
The doctor adds that it is a common condition and it is estimated that 1% of the world’s population has it and in Mexico 2% of the population over 65 years of age is affected.
This means that more than 400,000 people in the country have Parkinson’s, plus those under 65 who also suffer from it, so that there are at least half a million people with the disease, many of whom are not diagnosed or treated.
One theory, he says, is that Parkinson’s is triggered by the digestive system, when a protein binds inappropriately and then travels up to the brain.
Other symptoms
As for non-motor symptoms, Dr. Martínez mentions fatigue, constipation, insomnia problems, sleep behavioral disorders and uncontrolled blood pressure.
Among the motor symptoms, slowness or sluggishness stands out, being the most disabling, and there is usually rigidity and walking problems.
Tremor is characteristic of Parkinson’s and can appear at rest in the hands or legs, or in action, when trying to open a bottle, for example.
Some balance disorders are so severe that they require the use of a wheelchair.
The doctor explains that the initial treatment is usually medication control, but when motor complications arise that deteriorate the quality of life or there is resistance to medication, surgery is proposed to place tiny electrodes in strategic parts of the brain to control the circuits that fail.
The treatment also prescribes physical activity and the replacement of missing substances in the brain. She emphasizes that the main objective of the treatment is to improve the patient’s quality of life, because even if the disease is progressive and cannot be stopped, the goal is to change the way in which one lives with this condition.— IRIS CEBALLOS ALVARADO
At a glance
Protective factors
Dr. Héctor Rubén Martínez Hernández indicates that there are protective factors against Parkinson’s disease, such as caffeine consumption and smoking, although he warns that smoking predisposes one to other diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases.
Relationship
The doctor says that there is a 1.6 times higher risk of developing the disease if one has a first-degree relative affected. When the onset of Parkinson’s occurs after the age of 40, it is considered that in 5% of cases the cause is genetic. When it occurs before the age of 40, the probability is 30 to 50%.
Ethnic groups
There are some ethnic groups with a greater genetic predisposition, such as Ashkenazi Jews, North Africans and Basques.
It can be confusing
More than a syndrome, Parkinson’s is a set of symptoms that resemble those of other diseases.
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2024-09-20 03:40:12