The Hidden Cause of Parkinsons Disease

Parkinson’s disease is mainly caused by a loss of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that transmits messages across nerves when you make a movement.

Say you’re reaching forward with your arm to pick up a cup of coffee from your kitchen table. Your brain sends out messages to the basal ganglia in your brain. The basal ganglia co-ordinates the nerve messages to your muscles and tells your muscles to move in the correct order. So the movement is all co-ordinated. Your reach out and your fingers naturally clasp the cup of coffee. This is an every day situation and very normal. This all happens in a millisecond.

Now consider what happens when you have Parkinsons. What happens when you don’t have enough dopamine is that the messages in your brain can’t be transmitted into a way that the individual muscles can act upon. So what happens then? You know you want to make a movement forward to pick up the cup of coffee. But your muscles don’t respond to the message coming from your brain. And the movement that you’re trying to make isn’t co-ordinated.

However, sometimes the message does get through to your muscles and the Parkinsons sufferer can pick up the cup of coffee. While other times they can’t. The problem is co-ordinating all these messages at the correct time.

But, when you’re not making any movement, why do Parkinson’s sufferers have tremors?

Well, that’s because the basal ganglia are continually in action. They are forever in action. Even when you’re relaxed flat out on your sofa and you’re watching television. There are still messages being transmitted to your muscles. But the problem for a Parkinsons is that the right messages aren’t always getting through. And the wrong messages aren’t getting blocked. This means the muscles are contracting or becoming stiffer all the time.

This lack of dopamine is a major reason for problems with movement. And that’s why dopamine replacement helps so much. However damage to other parts of the brain may be responsible for other features of Parkinson’s Disease. These problems include depression, bladder control, memory problems and blood pressure.

So what causes a lack of dopamine?

Well, scientists are still researching. And they have many theories. These include:

1. Is Parkinsons caused by a virus?
2. Is Parkinsons inherited?
3. Is Parkinsons due to old age?
4. Are some people more prone to getting Parkinsons?

These are some of the theories that scientists are exploring and continue to research. Right now there is more money being poured into research than at any other time.

 

Parkinson's Treatment | Parkinson's Resources | Privacy Policy | T & C | Disclaimer | Sitemap

 

© parkinsonstreatment.net - 2008 - 2011 All rights reserved