Parkinsons disease

Question 1

What is the primary pathological feature of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 1

Loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra.

The substantia nigra (sub-stan-chee-uh ny-grah) is a part of your basal ganglia, forming connections with different parts of your brain.

Question 2

How does the loss of dopaminergic neurons affect movement in Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 2

It disrupts the balance of activity in motor circuits, impairing the ability to control movement​

Question 3

What are Lewy bodies, and what is their significance in Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 3

Lewy bodies are abnormal aggregates of protein, primarily alpha-synuclein, found in the neurons of Parkinson’s disease patients​

Question 4

What specific region of the brain shows notable degeneration in Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 4

The substantia nigra pars compacta​

The substantia nigra (sub-stan-chee-uh ny-grah) is a part of your basal ganglia, forming connections with different parts of your brain.

Question 5

Why does dopamine loss in the substantia nigra affect other parts of the brain?

Answer 5

Dopamine loss disrupts the signaling to the basal ganglia, which is crucial for motor control​

Question 6

What is the characteristic tremor associated with Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 6

A resting tremor, often described as a “pill-rolling” tremor​

Question 7

Describe the rigidity observed in Parkinson’s disease.

Answer 7

Rigidity in Parkinson’s disease is a stiffness or resistance to limb movement caused by increased muscle tone

Question 8

What is bradykinesia, and how does it manifest in patients with Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 8

Bradykinesia is slowness of movement, seen as difficulty in initiating and performing movements​

Question 9

What motor symptom can affect a patient’s balance and posture in Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 9

Postural instability, which leads to difficulties with balance and a higher risk of falls​

Question 10

Besides motor symptoms, name a non-motor symptom commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease.

Answer 10

Parkinson’s disease patients often experience depression​

Question 11

How does Parkinson’s disease affect facial expressions?

Answer 11

Patients often develop a “masked face” or reduced facial expression due to muscle rigidity​

Question 12

What is “micrographia” in the context of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 12

Micrographia is the tendency for handwriting to become smaller and more cramped, often seen in Parkinson’s disease​

Question 13

What is the primary medication used in treating Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 13

Levodopa, often combined with carbidopa to improve efficacy and reduce side effects​

Question 14

How does carbidopa enhance the effectiveness of levodopa in Parkinson’s treatment?

Answer 14

Carbidopa prevents the breakdown of levodopa before it reaches the brain, allowing more to be converted to dopamine in the brain​

Question 15

What is the role of dopamine agonists in Parkinson’s disease treatment?

Answer 15

Dopamine agonists mimic dopamine and stimulate dopamine receptors, providing an alternative to levodopa​

Question 16

Name a treatment option for Parkinson’s disease patients with medication-resistant symptoms

Answer 16

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is used for patients who no longer respond well to medications​

Question 17

Why is physical therapy recommended for Parkinson’s disease patients?

Answer 17

Physical therapy helps maintain mobility, flexibility, and balance, which can reduce the impact of motor symptoms​

Question 18

What is a distinguishing feature of essential tremor that can differentiate it from Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 18

Essential tremor typically occurs with action, while Parkinson’s tremor is a resting tremor​

Question 19

How does multiple system atrophy (MSA) differ from Parkinson’s disease in terms of symptoms?

Answer 19

MSA presents with additional autonomic dysfunctions, such as severe blood pressure fluctuations, that are less common in Parkinson’s disease​

Question 20

What is the primary difference between Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)?

Answer 20

PSP often includes vertical gaze palsy and early postural instability, distinguishing it from Parkinson’s disease​

Question 21

How does dopamine deficiency lead to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 21

Dopamine is crucial for coordinating smooth and controlled movements. Its deficiency disrupts the basal ganglia circuits, leading to motor symptoms.

Question 22

What are the four cardinal motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 22

Tremor at rest, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability.

Question 23

How does rigidity in Parkinson’s disease typically present?

Answer 23

As increased resistance to passive movement, often described as “cogwheel rigidity.”

Question 24

What is bradykinesia, and how does it manifest in Parkinson’s patients?

Answer 24

Bradykinesia is the slowness of voluntary movement, leading to difficulties in initiating actions.

Question 25

What is a characteristic feature of Wilson’s disease in the context of Parkinsonism?

Answer 25

Wilson’s disease, a genetic disorder of copper metabolism, can cause Parkinsonism with signs like Kayser-Fleischer rings in the eyes, which are absent in Parkinson’s disease​

Question 26

How does vascular Parkinsonism differ in presentation from typical Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 26

Vascular Parkinsonism often presents with lower body symptoms like gait instability and lacks the classic tremor seen in Parkinson’s disease​

Question 27

How is Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) differentiated from Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 27

LBD is characterized by Parkinsonism symptoms plus cognitive decline, visual hallucinations, and fluctuating alertness, which are more pronounced than in Parkinson’s disease

Question 28

In the context of Parkinsonism, what is the significance of infectious encephalitis?

Answer 28

Infectious encephalitis can cause reversible Parkinsonism symptoms as part of the brain infection, unlike the progressive degeneration in Parkinson’s disease​