Parkinson’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms,Treatment & More | UPSC Notes

Researchers across the world have reported a higher-than-expected prevalence of gene mutations in Parkinson’s disease patients. This has raised some serious concern for the whole world as the number of patients affected with this disease is increasing at an alarming rate. The outcome of the research has suggested the need for broader genetic testing. 

World Parkinson’s Day is celebrated every year on April 11 to create awareness about the long-term degenerative disorder.It also marks the birthday of James Parkinson,a physician who described the disease.

In India, Right to health is a fundamental right under Article 21 of Indian Constitution and thus it is the duty upon the state to provide quality healthcare which is easily accessible as well as affordable for patients. Also, Directive Principles of State Policy under Part IV of Indian constitution mandates that the Indian state is a welfare state and thus India should work towards making better facilities for the sick.

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About Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a kind of progressive neurological disorder which generally affects the nervous system and those body parts which are controlled by nerves. ParkinsoN’S disease often leads to a stage where one has either limited or no control over movements and body balance. 

It has been found that the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases with age. The average onset is around 60 years. There is gender disparity in cases of Parkinson's disease as studies and research conducted around the world indicates that men are more likely to be affected by Parkinson’s disease than women. 

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Causes of Parkinson’s Disease

These are the following causes of Parkinson’s disease:

• Nerve Cell Degeneration: Parkinson’s disease is caused by the degeneration that occurs in nerve cells in the substantia nigra. Substantia nigra is a region in the brain that controls movement. 
• Dopamine Deficiency: Researchers have indicated that nerve cells of an individual lose their ability to produce dopamine which is a chemical essential for movement coordination. 
• Movement Impairment: Lack of dopamine, an essential chemical required for movement often results in slowed movements and tremors. 

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

The symptoms are not uniform as they vary among individuals and may start in a very mild manner. There is asymmetry when it comes to symptoms among the individuals affected with Parkinson’s disease. It is observed that symptoms typically begin on one side of the body and then remain more severe on that side. These are some of the other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease:

• Tremors: A person starts feeling trembling in hands, arms, legs, and jaw. 
• Rigidity: A person starts feeling stiffness in the limbs. 
• Bradykinesia: It is a condition in which movement becomes slow. 
• Postural Instability: Here, a person suffers from impaired balance and coordination. 
• Swallowing Issues: Under this condition, an individual faces difficulty in simple things like swallowing, chewing, and speaking.
• Urinary Problems: A person starts facing urinary problems under this condition. Apart from that an individual also starts facing conditions like constipation, skin related issues, anxiety, depression, emotional changes, sleep disturbances etc.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but treatments can significantly improve symptoms. This is the reason due to which symptom management is difficult in case of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. These are some limitations in treatment of Parkinson’s disease as well. Currently, there are no blood laboratory or radiological tests available to diagnose Parkinson’s disease. 

Current Major Research in Parkinson’s Disease

Researchers are working to develop a proper diagnosis. These are some of the major research and development related to Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and treatment:

• Geneticists and neuroscientists in different parts of the world are investigating various kinds of genetic variations so that they can achieve or gain a better understanding of Parkinson’s disease. 
• More focussed approach towards rare families with inherited parkinsonism and identifying gene mutations which are associated with the disease. 
• Researchers have identified a new genetic variant called RAB32 Ser71Arg which is linked to Parkinson’s in multiple families globally. 
• Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) is being performed to compare genetic data from Parkinson’s patients as well as healthy individuals. More than 92 genomic locations and 350 genes potentially related to Parkinson’s risk have been identified by them.

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