For the millions who suffer from Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders, a new procedure is offering much-needed relief from these painful and debilitating tremors, stiffness and muscle spasms. The procedure, called deep brain stimulation (DBS), is a surgery in which the doctor implants a small device that sends an electrical signal to a specific part of brain. Just as a heart pacemaker uses electricity to regulate an erratic heartbeat, deep brain stimulation uses electricity to pace the firing of neurons that control movement.
Movement disorders, like many other brain disease, happen when the brain's complex circuits malfunction. Before DBS, patients with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia and other movement disorders had little choice but to rely on medication to control their symptoms, and in many cases the benefits would decline over time. Now, deep brain stimulation is offering greater relief from involuntary jerks, tremors, stiffness and gait disturbance, especially for patients whose symptoms no longer respond to medication.
Treating Parkinson's disease
Deep brain stimulation was first introduced nearly 15 years ago. In 1997, the U.S. Food and drug administration approved the procedure for use in controlling tremors, and in 2002 DBS was approved for treating Parkinson's disease, a disorder characterized by shaking, rigidity and slowness of movement that afflicts tens of millions of people around the world. During the procedure, a neurosurgeon inserts a tiny wire through an incision in the skull. The wire tip carrying an electrode is positioned in the area of the brain that controls movement. Then the surgeon maneuvers the other end of the wire to connect with the neurostimulator – a battery pack about the size of a pocket watch that is usually implanted under the skin near the collarbone.
In the most cases, the surgery takes about 4 to 8 hours. Patients usually stay in the hospital for two nights and fully recover in 4to 6 weeks.
The neurostimulator is designed to remain in the body permanently, and patients undergo a minor surgery every three to five years to replace the batteries. Whenever necessary, doctors can make adjustments or even turn the neurostimulator off from outside the body.
Dopamine And Parkinson's Disease
Both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease affect nearly half a million people each year with their debilitating and eventually life-robbing symptoms. While Alzheimer's steals memories and personality and eventually leads to decreased motor function, Parkinson's disease robs the person of basic motor function causing a shaking or palsy to run throughout the body. Scientists have wondered for years whether or not there was a connection for the two diseases, either in the genes or some environmental factor that triggered the onset of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.
A Discussion of the Two Players
Parkinson's disease is an incurable disease of the nervous system where the neuro-transmitters in the brain begin to malfunction, causing a trembling in the body and limbs that gets progressively worse over time. Symptoms of rigidity and trouble walking at a normal gait also appear over time. Eventually this disease will rob the person of the ability to control their balance leading to more falls and slips, which is a concern for their well being.
Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are different in that while Parkinson's disease appears to focus more on physical ailments, Alzheimer's appears to affect the mental capacities before the motor skills and physical ones deteriorate. Common everyday forgetfulness turns into confusion and forgetfulness that becomes a problem for every day activity. The location of homes or remembering the faces of children or friends becomes more and more difficult with time. Eventually, the personality can change as a result of the disease.
Is There a Connection?
In April of 2003, a scientific study indicated that there may be a connection between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. In that study, it was concluded that older adults who develop the tremors and other classical symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be up to eight times as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as well. In addition, it has been shown that the symptoms of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease can be very similar and perhaps follow the same lines, although the root cause may be somewhat different.
Research also suggests that Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease may have a connection in how the two diseases progress over time. The same study published in the April 2003 issue of The Archives of Neurology tracked the progression of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease among 824 Catholic clergy members with an average age of 75, and who had no signs of Alzheimer's disease at the beginning of the study. After approximately four and half years, 79% of the study's participants experienced a more rapid progression of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Of those who experienced the most rapid progression, it was found that they were eight times as likely to have symptoms of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Is there a connection between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease? So far the medical profession is still debating that idea, but more and more studies indicate that they're might be a link between these two debilitating diseases. Only more time, and more research will be able to explain the connection, if any, between Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Both Eric Timmy & Beverly Taylor are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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