Due to the nature of Parkinson’s disease, falls are a fairly common occurrence mainly due to instability with the posture and impaired gait. It has a host of complications as would frequent falls in any person, irrespective of Parkinson’s disease. However, bearing in mind that most Parkinson’s disease patients are…
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurologic disorders and the most common neurodegenerative diseases in the world. The pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease is quite well understood, albeit not completely. Dopaminergic neurons particularly in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain, becomes damaged gradually die leading to…
Complications may arise in any diseases if left untreated or as it progresses and Parkinson’s disease is no different. These complications may be associated with PD itself as it gets worse, arise as a side effect from the medication being used for PD or at times arise separately due to…
Although there is no specific test for Parkinson’s disease, recent advances in a diagnostic imaging technique may help doctors identify high risk patients even before the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease appear. It may also serve as a tool to monitor disease progression. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease where there…
Epidemiological studies over the past 50 years have shown a lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease among cigarette smokers. Although this apparent neuroprotective benefit of cigarette smoking has been known for a while, be it due to nicotine or the scores of other chemicals in cigarettes, the mechanism has been poorly…
Parkinson’s disease or PD is a neurodegenerative disease which means that nervous dysfunction is gradual and progressive. In other words, it develops slowly and gets worse over time. Most PD patients only discover the condition once signs and symptoms, usually those affecting movement, become obvious and affect daily functioning to…
Stem cell therapy is growing in popularity globally particularly for neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease. Clinics offering stem cell therapy are now accessible globally and with costant advancements in stem cell technology, there is significant hope that it will be the ‘magic bullet’ in the treatment of…
An exciting new discovery on a genetic mutation that appears to be associated with Parkinson’s disease once again brings hope to some PD patients. The gene, known as VPS35, was identified in a large Swiss family with a history of Parkinson’s disease. While this may not be applicable for every…
Although in the early stages, the potential use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) holds tremendous possibilities for the future. A significant amount of research is still necessary and the practical application of such a treatment option is probably still a long way.…
Significant research and several clinical trials have been done regarding the efficacy of gene therapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD). While many claims have been made involving numerous wonder cures for PD, gene therapy may hold the exciting possibility of not only delaying disease progression but also halting it completely.