Parkinson&39;s Disease l. Parkinson&39;s diseaseaffects the way you move. It happens when

Parkinson&39;s Disease

l. Parkinson&39;s diseaseaffects the way you move. It happens when there is a problem with certain nervecells in the brain Normally, these nerve cells make an important chemicalcalled dopamine. Do- pamine sends signals to the part of your brain that controlsmovement. It lets your muscles move smoothly and do what you want them to do.When you have Parkinson&39;s, these nerve cells break down. Then you no longerhave enough dopamine, and you have troubje moving the way you want to.

2. No one knows for sure whatmakes these nerve cells break down_ But scientists are doing a lot of re-search to look for the answer. They are studying many possible causes,including aging and poisons in the en- vironment. Abnormal genes seem to leadto Parkinson&39;s disease in some people But so far, there is not enough proof toshow that it is always inherited

3. Tremor may be the first symptom you notice.It is one of the mostcommon signs of the disease,although not everyone has it. More importantly, noteveryone with a tremor has Parkinson&39;s disease.Tremor often starts in just onearm or leg or only on one side of the body. It may be worse when you are awakebut not moving the affected arm or leg. It may get better when you move thelimb or you are asleep. In time, Parkinson&39;s affects muscles all through yourbody, so it can lead to problems like

trouble swallowing or constipation. In the later stages of the disease,a person with Parkinson&39;s may have a fixed or blank expression, troublespeaking, and other problems. Some people also have a de- crease in mentalskills (dementia).

4. At this time, there is nocure for Parkinson&39;s disease. But there are several types of medicines that cancontrol the symptoms and make the disease easier to live with. You may not evenneed treat- ment if your symptoms are mild. Your doctor may wait to prescribemedicines until your symptoms start to get in the way of your daily life. Yourdoctor will adjust your medicines as your symptoms get worse. You may need totake several medicines to get the best results.

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