It wasn’t until very recently that researchers understood the relationship between three very similar brain diseases. Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy all share common characteristics, but are still very distinct diseases when it comes to symptoms. Luckily, new research shows just how these diseases are connected, and there is now a better understanding of the implications of this relationship.
These three brain diseases all are caused by the same root source. A certain protein, called the ?-synuclein protein, accumulates in the brain and has long been known to be the cause of each of these diseases. However, the symptoms of each of these are quite different. Although researchers knew this, they weren’t quite sure how this could be.
One of the differences that was observed was the shape that the protein accumulations took on. Scientists used cells from patients that had passed away and continued the accumulation process to observe what happened. They found that those with Parkinson’s and multiple system atrophy had a similar shape, while those with dementia with Lewy bodies had a very distinct pattern that occurred. The shape and pattern of the accumulation also influenced the severity of each individual disease.
The research team, who published their findings in Acta Neuropathologica, believes that understanding these things will help lead to earlier diagnosis of each respective disease. The hope is that it can improve the lives of each person who suffers from one of these illnesses.
Multiple system atrophy, or MSA, is a very rare disease that has no known treatment. It is a painful disease and it is characterized by body systems systemically shutting down. The prognosis of this disease gives those who have been diagnosed with MSA usually tops out at ten years. Hopefully, this deeper understanding of the disease will help those that have it receive better treatment and a better quality of life. There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done when it comes to research, but it’s headed in the right direction.
Senior care focuses on finding the best, most comfortable treatment and care for elderly folks in need. Understanding diseases like this and how they impact someone’s life is an important part of providing good care. Additionally, caregivers should work in conjunction with doctors and other team members so that the care that is being given is always in the individual’s best interests.
That’s one of the things that we focus heavily on here at Paradise In-Home Care. Providing customized care that is designed with the person at the center of everything is key for ensuring that people get the best care possible.
If this is something that you would like for an elderly loved one, please reach out to us. One of our caregivers can go over what we do and how your family would benefit from it. We can even do this by phone or video chat to stay in compliance with quarantine mandates. Give us a call or an email and we can get started in ensuring that your family finds the right care to meet their needs.
Leave a Reply