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Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease>What is Parkinson's Disease
What is Parkinson's Disease?The onset of Parkinson's disease is a tragic time for any patient and their family. As a degenerative condition, patients suffering from the condition are faced with no hope of recovery, but rather a slow and wearing process of loss of movement and co-ordination. Most notably, the condition involves the tremor, whereby patients can be seen trembling uncontrollably, as well as loss in speech capabilities and gradually all functionality in its later stages. Parkinson's disease is a disorder which takes effect on the central nervous system. A movement disorder, Parkinson's can be seen in four major symptoms; namely rigidity of muscles, a tremor of movement, slowing of overall movement (known as bradykinesia) and in certain instances loss of movement altogether. The symptoms gradually become more and more apparent in sufferers, and are progressive, that is patients do not recover, or get better. This degenerative condition is not contagious, nor passed genetically?, and very little is known about the causes of most instances of the condition. Having said that, some cases can be explained through extreme drug abuse, cranial damage and other abuses of the body which have been shown to give rise to the condition. The condition occurs as a result of the loss or destruction of brain cells which produce dopamine, a chemical associated with muscle activity. This chronic condition was first discovered and charted by James Parkinson in 1817, and concerns what he labelled as his patient's 'shaking palsy'. A disease which has been a mystery to scientists and physicians across the world since its discovery, Parkinson's has no known cure, although there are ways to treat it and perhaps stall its development. Additionally, there are a number of support groups for both sufferers and caregivers, providing some much needed reassurance that all is not lost, and there are still ways to work to help the condition, which can sometimes feel like a distant fantasy. A particularly crushing aspect of the disease is the impact it can have on a patient's everyday life. The simplest of physical tasks become impossible, leaving the sufferer eventually in need of round the clock care and attention. There is at present no way of knowing who will develop the disease, or to what extent, although reassuringly, scientists the world over are desperately trying to expand their knowledge of the condition and looking for other treatments, and possibly even the elusive cure. Sadly, for patients with Parkinson's today, there is no real way out, and it's best to try and remain as active and involved as possible in the normal daily routine to keep up morale, and keep the patient interested in life. Such a demoralizing condition as Parkinson's requires a lot of patience, and it can be particularly hard and frustrating to see a family member descend into such a state. There are however, a variety of ways to significantly reduce the effects of the condition, and it is advisable for anyone worried about themselves, a friend or family member to consult their physician for more information on the condition and what can be done to curb its onset. Parkinson's disease news on the WebWith new 'AO' rule out, VA readies spigot of payments - Stars and StripesView Original Article Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:24:06 GMT+00:00
Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG: Santhera and Ipsen Enter into Licensing ... - Reuters (press release)View Original Article Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:01:26 GMT+00:00
Pfizer Agrees To Buy FoldRx in Rare-Disease Treatment Expansion Effort - BloombergView Original Article Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:23:29 GMT+00:00
Verna?s VictoryView Original Article Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:09:14 -0700 THESE days it is fashionable to celebrate the life of someone who has died, unlike in the past where we just mourned that person?s death. Well and good, it is mentally healthier to do so. Research and Markets: Neurostimulation Devices - Global Pipeline Analysis, Opportunity Assessment and Market Forecasts ...View Original Article Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:00 -0700 DUBLIN----Research and Markets has announced the addition of GlobalData 's new report "Neurostimulation Devices - Global Pipeline Analysis, Opportunity Assessment and Market Forecasts to 2016" to their offering. NIH Issues New Stem Cell Research Guidelines as Obama Administration Prepares to Appeal Court RulingView Original Article Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:58:51 -0700 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- still reeling from a District Court ruling that blocked the use of federal funds for embryonic cell research -- issued new guidance last night detailing how it will comply with the Court's preliminary injunction. National Institutes of Health - Injunction - District Court - Stem cell - Research
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