Parkinson's disease is caused by the loss of neurons in the basal ganglia of the brain that produce dopamine. This leads to abnormal brain activity and movement disorders. The basal ganglia help control voluntary muscle movements and suppress involuntary movements. They are crucial for initiating and smoothing movements as well as coordinating posture changes. When dopamine levels drop due to degenerating neurons in the basal ganglia, patients experience tremors, slow movements, rigidity, and loss of coordination.

1. Parkinson’s disease
By Valentina Caroca P

2. Parkinson's disease, a
common illness that
affects people's daily lives.
On this occasion I present
to you the case of my
grandfather, who has
Parkinson's. A disease that
day by day limits their
autonomy

3. A description of this disease is presented in the
field of neurobiology in order to understand in a
deeper way the parts of the nervous system that
it affects.

4. Let's understand the neurobiology of Parkinson's disease

5. Let's start with the simplest definition:
Parkinson's disease is a brain condition that causes
certain involuntary movements, such as tremors.
Sometimes it can affect coordination and balance

6. The brain disorder causes damage to the nervous
system, neurons in an area of the basal ganglia are
damaged.

7. The basal ganglia are groups of neurons that are located
deep in the brain.
They help to do the following:
- Initiate and smooth purposeful (voluntary) muscle
movements
- suppress involuntary movements
- Coordinate changes in posture.

8. Many of the symptoms are due
to a loss of neurons that
produce dopamine, a type of
neurotransmitter in the brain.
When dopamine levels drop,
this causes abnormal brain
activity, leading to movement
disorders and other symptoms
of Parkinson's disease
https://www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-
conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-
causes/syc-20376055

9. When the brain creates an impulse to move a
muscle (for example, to raise an arm), the
impulse goes through the basal ganglia. Like
all neurons, those in the basal ganglia
release chemical messengers
(neurotransmitters) that stimulate the next
neuron in the conduction pathway to send an
impulse.
Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter in the
basal ganglia. Its overall effect is to intensify
nerve signals to the muscles.

10. And as mentioned before,
When neurons in one area of the basal ganglia degenerate, dopamine production
decreases and the number of connections between basal ganglia neurons decreases.
As a result, the basal ganglia are unable to control muscle movements as they
normally do, leading to tremors, slow movements (bradykinesia), a tendency to move
less (hypokinesia), postural and gait problems, and some loss of coordination
https://www.msdmanuals.co
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cl/hogar/enfermedades-
cerebrales,-medulares-y-
nerviosas/trastornos-del-
movimiento/enfermedad-de-
parkinson#:~:text=En%20la%
20enfermedad%20de%20Par
kinson,en%20las%20profundi
dades%20del%20enc%C3%A9
falo.

11. This neurobiology course has helped me
understand in a better way and in depth how
the events that we constantly deal with
happen. From the most basic, such as the
anatomy of the brain, to the complex, the
nervous system and the way in which it
integrates its actions in each situation.
And to conclude…