parkisons disease Flashcards
parkinsons disease
- progressiv neurological disorder which is characterised by both motor and non motor symptoms
- area of brain that controls smooth movement degenrates causing severe impairment
- range of 55-65
major symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
- temor
- muscle ridgity
- slowness of movement
- postural instability
non motor symptoms
- speech problems: change in verbal fluency
- loss of sense of smell, pain, discomfort in limbs, tiredness, disturbed sleep, consitpation, mental halth problems
- impaired cognitive functions
medical treatment
motor symptoms can be relieved through medication via coveritng dopamine by the brain (L-dopa) and can stimulate the reception of dopamine by the neuros in the SN
The use of Animal Studies and Neuroimaging to understand PD
Animal studies- by using animals, researchers are able to induce symptoms of PD or inject drugs that are thought to prevent or treat symptoms
neuromimging studies
fMRI and PET are preferred as they look at activity eg. measure changes in dopamine activity at synapses within the substantia nigra and the impact in dopamine pathways for movement
They also enable early diagnosis and progression of the disease