Patient/caregiver was educated on pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease as follows:
- Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder affecting the nervous system of an individual.
- Nervous tissues, such as, brain and spinal cord, are composed of cells called neurons. These neurons are interconnected, and they communicate with each other through release of some chemicals called neurotransmitters.
- A proper balance between the levels of these chemicals is needed for normal function of the brain, helping to execute safe movements, control of mood and emotions, and safeguard the memory function.
- Parkinson’s disease involves damage to the various nerve cells in the brain producing chemicals, such as, dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin.
- Damage to these neurons results not only in deficiency of various chemicals in the brain, but also an imbalance in between these chemicals. This results in problems with the overall movement, motor skills, mood, and memory of affected individuals.
- Cause of damage to these neurons is clearly unknown, but could be secondary to factors, such as, exposure to various chemicals used in farming, history of accidents & head injuries, and family history.
- The individuals with Parkinson’s disease can present with symptoms, such as, compromised learning abilities, poor motivation, difficulty initiating movements, increased body rigidity, tremors, compromised balance, increased risk for fall, poor ability to concentrate, compromised ability to think, speech difficulty, impairment of swallowing, impairment of writing ability, anxiety, mood upset, depression, sleep disturbance, and poor memory.
