Early Stages of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects movement. It occurs when brain cells that produce dopamine gradually die, leading to symptoms such as tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement, and balance problems, along with possible changes in mood, sleep, and cognition over time. It’s caused by the loss of cells within the brain that produce dopamine. The factors that contribute to this are not fully understood at this time, but researchers believe that it’s a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

 

The early diagnosis of Parkinson’s is essential for effective treatment. There’s no cure for the disease, but if caught early, doctors can treat it and slow the spread of the symptoms. It’s not perfect, but it can help those impacted by Parkinson’s to live a higher quality of life for a longer period of time.

 

And now, researchers believe that they have gained more insight into what the earliest stages of this disease look like. This revolves around the use of a new imaging technique that can more accurately pinpoint the protein clusters that occur within the brain. In the past, these clusters were not fully able to be detected until the person with Parkinson’s had passed away. Known as alpha-synuclein oligomers, these proteins are believed to be the starting point of the disease. Prior to this, Lewy bodies were cited as the cause of Parkinson’s for over a hundred years. However, more recent research had given cause to believe that another protein was present prior to Lewy bodies.

 

There is potential for this research to help doctors catch the disease earlier and start treating it earlier, effectively helping those with Parkinson’s to manage their symptoms for longer right from the beginning.

 

This research comes from the University of Cambridge and the Polytechnique Montreal. The team published their findings in the journal, Nature Biomedical Engineering. Hopefully, this research helps to advance our understanding of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In addition to this, the immediate hope is that this understanding helps doctors to improve the lives of those individuals that are suffering from these types of diseases.

 

 

Parkinson’s, and other diseases and conditions, can make aging safely difficult. But for many people, aging in place can still remain a realistic option. Aging in place can look different for each individual. However, the majority of seniors that wish to age in place want to do it in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes.

 

Paradise In-Home Care can help with this. We offer in-home care services that are specifically tailored to the needs of the people that we work with. In-home care offers a flexibility that no other type of senior care can accommodate, and it happens right where the majority of seniors wish to be–in their own homes. 

 

If you have questions about care, we’re here. We offer free consultation sessions designed to answer questions and get you pointed toward the help that your family needs. There’s no cost for a consultation and there’s no obligation on your end. 

 

You can get the process started with a call or email. Get in touch today to start the conversation.