What are Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders?

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological ailment that results in loss of balance and restricted movement.

The term “movement disorders” refers to a collection of nervous system disorders that result in slow or limited movements. Depending on the type of disorder and whether the movements are voluntary or involuntary, they can or cannot be controlled.

For example, types of movement disorders include the following:

• Ataxia targets a specific part of the brain responsible for coordinated movements.
  Ataxia leads to trouble with balance, uncoordinated limb movements and issues with speech.
• Chorea leads to repetitive, brief and rapid, uncontrollable movements of the body.
• Dystonia causes uncontrollable repetitive contractions of the body.
• Huntington’s disease is an advanced genetic condition which results in psychiatric conditions, cognitive issues and involuntary movements.

What are the typical signs of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders?

The progressive loss of muscle control is the first sign of Parkinson’s disease. Additional accompanying symptoms include the following:

• Slow, interrupted movements.
• Difficulty with balance.
• Tightened muscles, making it difficult to move the affected muscles.
• Postural difficulty whereby the muscles start to stiffen, making it hard to move. As a result, patients with postural difficulty develop hunched or stooped backs.
• People with Parkinson's disease have trouble regulating facial muscles, a condition known as hypomimia. They lack proper facial muscle control, which leads to drooling and less frequent blinking, which results in dry eyes.

Common symptoms of movement disorders include the following:

• Tremors
• Trouble with balance
• Clumsiness.
• Poor coordination.

What causes Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders?

With Parkinson’s disease, the nerve cells in the brain get affected and degenerate over time. Certain factors play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease, such as the following:

• Exposure to environmental elements and toxins such as insecticides.
• Genetics: Children can inherit genes from their parents that contribute to Parkinson’s disease.

How does a neurologist treat Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders?

Dr Naidoo can prescribe medications to treat underlying problems linked to the disorder, such as tremors and trouble with movement and walking. Alternatively, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical technique used to address Parkinson’s disease. With DBS, Dr Naidoo implants electrodes in certain regions of the brain. The electrodes are attached to a generator placed in the chest in close proximity to the collarbone. As a result, the generator releases an electrical charge directly to the brain to manage symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.