It is a disease that occurs after the age of 40 and more often in men at older ages, and is caused by the damage and loss of some cells in the brain. After this damage, there is a decrease in the substance called dopamine in the brain. Dopamine sends information from one nerve cell to another. If enough dopamine is not produced in the brain, movement and balance are affected and the disease occurs. Parkinson’s disease is a non-fatal disease that does not shorten life expectancy and does not cause paralysis, but negatively affects the quality of life. It can rarely be seen in 30-40 years of age. It is not contagious. A relationship with heredity was found in 5% of the patients.
Causes
After head trauma
Use of certain drugs that affect the nervous system (Some psychiatric treatment drugs)
Atherosclerosis (Atherosclerosis)
Poisonings
Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
Unknown: No cause is found in the majority of patients
Symptoms begin insidiously over a long period of time and progress slowly. It usually starts with a tremor on one side of the body. However, it should be emphasized that not every person with tremor is Parkinson’s disease. In healthy people, temporary tremors may occur in the hands and legs in stressful situations such as fear and excitement. In addition, tremor, which is known as essential tremor, which can be seen at any age, is familial and of unknown cause, tremor occurs when the hands are extended forward. In Parkinson’s, tremors occur in the hands at rest, disappear during sleep and while working. Sometimes there are tremors in the feet, chin and lips. Movements slowed down (Bradykinesia). Walking with small steps, as if to collapse forward, not swinging the arms while walking, deterioration in writing, shrinkage in letters occur. A decrease in facial expressions, monotonous and monotonous speech can be seen. With the progression of the disease, stiffness in the muscles (rigidity), changes in body shape; The body is bent forward, the extremities are half-broken. Over time, difficulty in swallowing, drooling from the mouth, dementia are observed
TREATMENT
There is no treatment that can completely eliminate the disease yet.
Parkinson’s Since it occurs with a decrease in the blood level of the substance required for the nervous system called dopamine, external administration of this substance is used in the treatment. This substance must be used for life. The age of the patient, the severity of the disease, the leading symptom and the complaint that bothers the patient the most are taken into consideration in the selection of the drug. Medications are always started at a low dose, gradually increasing the dose if necessary. Dopamine is not given to young patients with mild symptoms because the effectiveness of the drug decreases after 5-6 years of use.
In addition, some surgical interventions applied to the brain are included in the treatment. Surgical treatment is not the first treatment option. and does not stop the progression of the disease. If the symptoms of the disease cannot be adequately controlled with drugs, surgical treatment is applied. Patients who are candidates for surgery should be relatively young and have no memory problems.
In surgical treatment, surgical intervention called stereotaxy is entered through a small hole and interventions are made in the region of the brain called the thalamus.
