Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month

Focus on Parkinson’s Disease

~ by Carol Vartuli

April is Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Awareness Month. The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) asks site visitors, “Why does that matter?”  For APDA, every month of the year is about PD awareness, so whatever day, time, or month you need support, they’re available.

April brings additional efforts to make more people aware of PD, which impacts more than a million people in the United States. 

British surgeon James Parkinson wrote the first medical description of a neurological disease he called “Shaking Palsy” in 1817. Half a century later, French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot provided a more extensive description of the condition and named it Parkinson’s Disease.

For decades, experts have continued to expand the body of knowledge about Parkinson’s Disease and the effort continues today. There is no cure, and the exact cause is still uncertain.

What Is Parkinson’s Disease?  

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurogenerative disease, which means it worsens over time. PD begins when dopamine-producing nerve cells (neurons) in the brain die. Dopamine is a chemical that transmits messages between cells that control movement, learning, and emotional response.

It is widely accepted that raising Dopamine levels in a patient can help combat the effects of the disease. Researchers are also studying alpha-synuclein, a protein that clumps into what are called Lewy bodies in the brains of PD patients. Scientists don’t understand the function of this protein in a healthy brain, but the buildup of alpha-synuclein may contribute to the cause of Parkinson’s Disease.

A diagnosis of Parkinson’s is made when a person exhibits two of the three primary motor symptoms:

• Tremor or shaking
• Slowness of movement, in the limbs, face, overall body, and walking (Bradykinesia)
• Rigidity in the arms, legs, or trunk.

The greatest risk factor for Parkinson's Disease is age.  Researchers project the number of people with Parkinson's worldwide will double to 14.2 million by 2040.

Age is not the only risk factor.  About 10 to 20 percent of people with Parkinson's experience symptoms before age 50, which is called "young onset." However, the rate of people diagnosed between age 30 and 64 has increased 50%.

The Emmy award winning actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed at the age of 29, in 1991. Fox was well known for his role in the 1985 movie, “Back to the Future,” and his weekly TV show “Spin City.” Fox has lived with PD for 30 years, and is a tireless advocate for finding a cure. In 2020, he launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) for Parkinson’s research.

Treatments

Dopamine replacement as a treatment began in the late 1960s and continues to be used today. Dopamine (in the form of Carbidopa or Levodopa) alleviates the motor symptoms of PD, but does not stop its progression. The neurons continue to sicken and may gradually affect other neurons in the brain.

“Treatment of the dopamine system is critical to help Parkinson’s patients deal with their symptoms,” says Peter Schmidt, Ph.D., Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University. “However, focusing on the dopamine system or other motor features . . . is a distraction from efforts to cure Parkinson’s.”

Likewise, surgery is not a cure, but can be an effective treatment for some. In Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery, thin wires are implanted in the brain to send electrical pulses between cells that control motor symptoms. DBS is not recommended for all patients, and approved only for those who have had PD at least four years, and who get some benefit from medication. Experts believe DBS regulates abnormal signaling patterns in the brain, but are unsure why it works.

Research is a Multipronged Quest for a Cure

Michael J. Fox’s foundation educates patients and families, and supports research.

The New York Times has called MJFF "the most credible voice on Parkinson's research in the world." It is the world's largest, non-profit funder of Parkinson's drug development and has contributed more than $1 billion to research.

Another goal of the organization is to urge Parkinson’s sufferers to join clinical trials. As Fox himself points out, more studies are stalled than begun, for lack of patients to study.

“Parkinson’s patients are the experts on what we have. We have a responsibility as patients to share our experience—what works for us, what we respond to, what we can contribute to research.”–Michael J. Fox

Fortunately, MJFF is but one of a community of support organizations, foundations, and scientists ready to stand for the fight.

Learn about rehabilitation for Parkinson's patients at The Osborn.

The information in the above article is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.