Parkinson's Disease

Question 1

What is Dopamine? Where is it located?

Answer 1

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter secreted by neurones, including many located in part of the midbrain

Question 2

What happens to basal ganglia in people who have Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 2

People with Parkinson’s disease, dopamine secreting neurones in the basal ganglia die.

Question 3

Where do neurones normally release dopamine? How does this affect people with Parkinson’s?

Answer 3

Neurones normally release dopamine in the motor cortex.

Parkinson’s patients motor cortex’s receive little dopamine + loss of control of muscular movement.

Question 4

Symptoms of Parkinsons

Answer 4

Symptoms

Stiffness of muscles
Tremor of the muscles
Slowness of movement
Poor Balance
Walking Problems

Question 5

Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Answer 5

1. Selegiline
2. L-Dopa
3. Dopamine agonists
4. Results of gene therapy.
5. New surgical approaches

Question 6

Selegiline

Answer 6

Slowing the loss of dopamine from the brain

-Drug inhibits the enzyme monoamine oxidase: responsible for breaking down dopamine in the brain.

Question 7

L-Dopa

Answer 7

2. Treating the symptoms with drugs: Dopamine cannot be given to treat Parkinson’s because it cannot cross into the brain from the bloodstream.
   -L-Dopa, a precursor in the manufacture of dopamine can be given.
   Once in brain L-Dopa is converted into dopamine increasing concentration of dopamine + controlling symptoms of disease

Question 8

Dopamine Agonists

What are the benefits of Agonisits? The consequences?

Answer 8

Drugs that activate the dopamine receptor directly.
-Dopamine Agonists mimic the role of dopamine in the brain binding to dopamine receptors at synapses + triggering action potentials

• Avoid higher than normal level of dopamine in the brain.
  
  • Abnormally high dopamine levels can have unpleasant side effects.

Question 9

Gene Therapy

Answer 9

Results of gene therapy. Trials in animals + phase I trials in humans show promise.
-Genes for proteins=increase dopamine production + promote the growth + survival of nerve cells are inserted into the brain.

Question 10

Surgical Approaches

Answer 10

New surgical approaches are being trialed, some of which are generating encouraging results.