Parkinson's Disease

1. Parkinson's Disease
By: Aditya Anandakumar

2. Signs/Symptoms
● The main signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur when nerve
cells in the basal ganglia become impaired or die.
● These nerve cells usually produce dopamine and when they die or become
impaired they produce less dopamine which leads to movement problems.
● Dopamine is required by cells that fine-tune your movement which are used
when your brain sends signals for your muscles to move.

3. Introduction
● Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or
uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with
balance and coordination.
● Symptoms include:
○ Tremor in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head.
○ Muscle stiffness
○ Slowness of movement
○ Impaired balance and coordination

4. Lewy Bodies
● People with Parkinson’s disease have many brain cells that contain Lewy
bodies which are unusual clumps of the protein alpha-synuclein.
● Lewy bodies are caused when proteins don’t have the correct shape (protein
misfolding).
● With nowhere to go, the proteins build up in various places or in certain cells
which causes buildup of Lewy bodies.
● Scientists are still trying to decipher the normal and abnormal functions of
alpha-synuclein and its relationship to genetic variants that impact
Parkinson’s disease.

5. Diagnosis
● Currently there are no blood or laboratory test in order to diagnose non-
genetic cases of Parkinson’s.
● People are usually diagnose by looking at their medical history and
performing neurological examinations.
● There are other disorders such as multiple system atrophy and dementia
with Lewy bodies that can cause symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s
disease.
● Certain medical test and response to drug treatment can aid in evaluating
the symptoms.

6. Treatment
● There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease but there are therapies that can
relieve symptoms.
● Medicine help treat the symptoms by:
○ Increasing the dopamine levels in the brain
○ Helping to control non-movement symptoms
● The main therapy for Parkinson’s is levodopa in which nerve cells use
levodopa to make dopamine to increase the brain’s supply.
● When medication does not work, doctors recommend deep brain
stimulation.

7. Ways this course has allowed me to better analyze the events
and phenomena around you?
Participating in the neurobiology course has deepened my understanding of disabilities and
increased my empathy towards individuals facing these challenges. I have gained a better
perspective on the experiences of those affected. Through this knowledge, I've not only
increased my ability to empathize with their struggles but also gained important information in
order to offer support.

8. Works Cited
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8525-parkinsons-disease-
an-overview
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease/parkinsons-disease-
causes-symptoms-and-treatments