Parkinson's Disease Flashcards
What will be found on histology in a biopsy in parkinsons?
Lewy Bodies
What part of the brain does parkinsons primarily affect?
substansia nigra
What is the difference between parkinsonism and parkinsons disease?
Parkinsonism is a range of symptoms of motor control and can (rarely) be caused by other neurological disease
Parkinsons disease is the pathological (lewy body) process which affects different part of the brain and includes parkinsonism
What other (non-motor) parts of the brain can parkinsons disease affect and what symptoms will be caused? (2)
olfactory - anosmia
Cortex - Dimentia
Autonomic - Urinary dysfuntion, constipation
What are the 4 largest symptoms of parkinsons disease?
Bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity and postural instability
What is bradykinesia?
Slowness in the initiation of movement and a progressive reduction in the speed and amplitude of repetitive movement
How will handwriting look in Parkinsons disease?
mircographia and will get slower and smaller as line continues
How is parkinsons disease diagnosed clinically?
Bradykinesia plus one of:
Muscular Rigidity
5Hz rest tremor
Postural Instability
What is the differential diagnosis in Parkinson’s Disease? (4)
Benign tremor
Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Vascular Parkinsonism
Drug Induced Parkinsonsim
What investigations would you do in a patient with suspected parkinson’s disease?
To rule out other causes
Bloods for thyroid and Wilsons (caeruloplasmin)
Imaging - Normal in PD
Functional Imaging - DaTSCAN
What drugs are used to treat Parkinson’s Disease? (4)
L-Dopa
Dopamine antagonists
MAO-B inhibitors
COMT inhibitors
What drug is prescribed with L-Dopa?
dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor
What are the side-effects of L-dopa?
peripheral - Nausea vomiting
Central - Confusion and hallucinations
