Our FAQs on Parkinson's disease aims to educate patients about ways to prevent, slow down or reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease to ensure the best possible quality of life.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition, meaning it damages and destroys parts of your nervous system over time. It’s one of a handful of disorders caused by a buildup of a material in the body called alpha-synuclein, which can impede normal nervous system functioning.
Your nervous system is a network of nerve cells that controls many parts of the body, including movement. As PD progresses, it can lead to tremors and other changes in how well you’re able to move.
Once you’ve been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you may experience a wide range of symptoms and symptom severity related to the distribution of the alpha-synuclein.
How many people get Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is the second most–common neurodegenerative condition, following Alzheimer’s disease.
Approximately one million people in the United States have it, and the lifetime risk for developing PD is estimated to be roughly 1.5% among the general population.
The majority (greater than 95%) of people develop PD after the age of 50; however, it can occur earlier in life.
What are the common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:
- A resting tremor more prominent on one side of the body than the other
- Stiffness and rigidity
- Slowing of movement
- Hunched posture
- Diminished lift and stride when walking
- Imbalance
- Restricted expressiveness in the face
- Less-frequent blinking
- Diminishment of smell
- Constipation
- Dream enactment behavior (punching, kicking, screaming while asleep)
Some patients may have only a few of the above symptoms, and some may have additional symptoms.
What causes Parkinson's disease?
Most cases are sporadic, meaning they arise with no known cause.
Some cases are hereditary (10-15%) and can be traced to specific genetic mutations that were passed down by family members. Familial cases of PD usually occur earlier in life (before age 60) than most sporadic cases, but this does not change management strategies.
Is there a cure for Parkinson's disease?
Currently, there is not a medical therapy that can prevent, arrest progression, reverse changes, or cure Parkinson’s disease.
Research is ongoing, and there are numerous clinical trials being carried out across the country to develop new treatments and potentially a disease-modifying therapy.
When should I see a neurologist?
If you’re experiencing changes that you think may suggest Parkinson’s disease, discuss your concerns with your primary care physician. The two of you can decide if a referral is appropriate.
What increases my risk for Parkinson’s disease?
Men are slightly more likely (3:2 ratio) than women to develop the condition.
Repeated head trauma has been linked with an increased risk for developing PD.
Several environmental exposures have also been identified, including pesticides.
Several military exposures, which include Agent Orange, have been associated with an increased risk for subsequent development of PD.
There have been more recent studies connecting the health of the gut with PD risk.
What can I do to prevent Parkinson’s disease?
There currently is not a proven medication or supplement that can prevent development or progression of Parkinson’s disease. However, there have been research studies indicating that habitual exercise, without need for a specific type, has the potential to delay the development and slow the progression of PD.
Are there new treatments for Parkinson’s disease?
There are numerous medications currently available for Parkinson’s disease, some relatively new, and more anticipated in the upcoming years.
For most patients, the foundation of care remains Carbidopa-Levodopa, a combination medication that most directly addresses a core aspect of PD: insufficient levels of dopamine.
Many additional medications can help increase the effect of, and increase the duration of the effect of, carbidopa-levodopa.
Another treatment option is Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a surgical intervention that can provide similar benefits as the medicine with possibly fewer side effects.
Should I consider DBS surgery?
Deep Brain Stimulation can potentially help many patients with Parkinson’s disease, but it is generally not considered until after 4 or more years with an established diagnosis. It is intended for use in patients who are not adequately benefiting from or struggling with oral medication use.
The surgery is not expected to address issues that are not improved by oral medication (ex. balance, falls, voice).
The surgery may be an attractive option in patients who:
- struggle with pill burden.
- experience frequent peaks and valleys with medication.
- limit their medication use due to side effects.
As with all surgeries, it is important to weigh the potential benefits against inherent risks of undergoing surgery.