Mysterious rise of America’s fastest growing brain disease – as Brett Favre reveals devastating diagnosis
SECURITIES
A tremor or uncontrollable movement is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and may be the very first symptom to occur.
According to charities, it usually starts in the hand and then spreads to the rest of the arm or sometimes even to the foot on the same side of the body.
Tremors are more likely to occur when the limbs are relaxed.
Although there is no cure for tremors, they can be treated with the help of a specialist or a Parkinson’s nurse.
Parkinson’s disease is caused by the death of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra. These nerve cells are responsible for producing dopamine.
Dopamine is an essential neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger between the parts of the brain and nervous system that help control and coordinate body movements.
SLOWED MOVEMENTS
If you have Parkinson’s, performing daily tasks can take much longer.
According to Parkinson’s UK, this can mean that everyday activities such as paying in a shop, doing up buttons and walking to the bus take longer.
Slow movements, medically known as bradykinesia, involve walking with short, shuffling steps.
It can also lead to smaller movements, such as smiling less widely than normal, problems swallowing and chewing, and a lack of coordination.
Slow movements are also caused by decreased dopamine levels in the brain, which affects muscle function.
Stiff muscles are another symptom of Parkinson’s disease and can slow your performance.
Tension and lack of flexibility in the muscles can make it difficult to make facial expressions and move.
This can lead to painful muscle cramps and balance problems.
STIFFNESS
Waving your arms, getting up from a chair, and turning over in bed can all become more difficult, as can breathing and speaking clearly.
According to Parkinson’s Europe, low dopamine levels can cause slow movements and tremors. It is also thought to disrupt the balance between the muscles that stretch and relax with each movement, leading to stiffness and rigidity.
LOSS OF SMELL
Losing your sense of smell is an early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.
According to Parkinson’s UK, this symptom occurs in 95 percent of people with the condition and it can take years for other symptoms to develop.
But the loss of the sense of smell can have different consequences. Some people lose or gain weight because they can no longer smell food, while for others it can affect their mood.
For some it is subtle and only reduces their sense of smell, while others have difficulty smelling at all.
It can also raise safety concerns, for example because sufferers may have difficulty with the smell of burns.
Research suggests the symptoms are caused by a smaller part of the brain, called the olfactory bulb, responsible for processing smells in some people with Parkinson’s disease, according to Parkinson’s UK.
Research has also shown that this bulb is the first part of the body to accumulate alpha-synuclein, a protein found in dopamine-producing cells.
In patients with Parkinson’s disease, proteins get confused and form clumps, which experts say can spread the disease throughout the brain.
BLADDER OR BOWEL PROBLEMS
As people get older, they may experience frequent urges to go to the toilet at night.
But it is also an early sign of Parkinson’s disease.
If you have to go to the toilet more than once or twice during the night (medically known as nocturia), this could be a sign of the disease.
Urge incontinence, the need to urinate immediately and difficulty holding urine, can also be a symptom.
In Parkinson’s disease, the symptoms are caused by fluctuations in dopamine levels, which can affect the functioning of the bladder muscles and nerves.
According to Parkinson’s Europe, the loss of dopamine can also disrupt the brain signals that tell the bladder to hold or expel urine.
Constipation is also a symptom of the disease, as slowness of movement and stiffness – hallmark signs of the condition – can affect the muscles in the intestinal wall.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Feelings of extreme sadness that persist for a long time may indicate depression.
According to the NHS, depression and anxiety are common in people with Parkinson’s disease, but the cause is not fully understood.
In some cases, these feelings occur months before other symptoms.
Studies suggest that the symptoms are due to a decrease in dopamine production in patients with Parkinson’s disease, which can lead to fatigue and depressed mood.
According to Parkinson’s UK, this can cause depression, worry and anxiety.
In addition, some patients may find that they are no longer able to socialize as much as before, leading to loneliness and isolation, which increases the risk of depression.
However, the foundation also indicates that the diagnosis of Parkinson’s itself can be very stressful. It is therefore understandable that you experience these feelings.