Parkinsons Disease: Cheyenne Wierzbicki 2*

Parkinsons disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement
and often causes tremors. Parkinsons can not be cured and is not fatal, but treatment can help
with the symptoms. Parkinsons mainly occurs in people aged 60 and over, but around 1 in 20
people are diagnosed under the age of 40. Parkinsons involves the malfunction and death of
vital nerve cells in the brain, called neurons primarily in the substantia nigra. These nerve cells
produce dopamine which help with movement. Although there is other reasons for the disease
showing up in a persons life, it could be a gene mutation or even environmental factors.

Signs are tremors, small handwriting, loss of smell, trouble sleeping, trouble moving or
walking, constipation, soft or low voice, masked face, dizziness or fainting, and stooping or
hunching over. People may experience tremors, bradykinesia (Slowness of movement), rigidity,
and postural instability. Also men are more likely to develop the disease than women. Treatment
for symptoms include various medications some of which include Amantadine, Benztropine, and
Carbidopa/Levodopa. Another alternative is physical exercise. Todays best Parkinsons drug
was discovered in 1967. Some psychological effects are denial, disbelief, shock,
discouragement, searching for an explanation, shifting abilities, identity change, depression, and
insomnia.

There is no test to diagnose Parkinsons disease, People with Parkinsons visit multiple
doctors and can wait years before a correct diagnosis. Approximately 60,000 Americans are
diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands
of cases that go undetected. The life expectancy is an average life span, and the prognosis is
debilitation, but the patients condition will worsen over the years of having the disease. Some
famous people who have Parkinsons are Muhammad Ali, Michael J. Fox, Johnny Cash,

Charles Schultz, and Bob Hoskins. There are also many foundations and associations for
Parkinsons research. Some of which are The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons
Research, National Parkinson Foundation, Davis Phinney Foundation, American Parkinson
Disease Association.

As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson's disease, which is more than the
combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou
Gehrig's disease. An estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's
disease. The combined direct and indirect cost of Parkinsons, including treatment, social
security payments and lost income from inability to work, is estimated to be nearly $25 billion
per year in the United States alone. Medication costs for an individual person with Parkinsons
average $2,500 a year, and therapeutic surgery can cost up to $100,000 dollars per patient.

Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/basics/definition/con20028488
http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/10-early-warning-signs
http://www.healthline.com/health/parkinsons/life-expectancy
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/famous-faces-parkinsons