My studies have led me to conclude that Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous
system. The four most common symptoms are;
- Trembling of the hands, arms,legs, jaw, or head (tremors)
- Stiffness of the limbs and trunk (rigidity)
- Slowness of movement (bradykinesia)
- Impaired
balance (postural instability)
- There may be other symptoms; such
as cramped hand writing,
- Stiff facial expression, muffled speech, and
depression.
It's important to know that
PD is not a fatal disease, but it does tend to get worse over time. However with appropriate treatment, people with PD can
live productive lives for many years after diagnosis.
WHAT
CAUSES PARKINSON'S DISEASE :
At the present time we aren't sure exactly what
causes PD. However, we know PD occurs when certain nerve cells in the brain become impaired and eventually die. These are
the cells that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that signals the muscles to produce smooth, normal movements.
When dopamine is lost , the symptoms of PD occur.
- Our research suggests that PD can result from genetic factors. There is a 2-to 3-fold increase in risk in people
who have a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, with PD. However, the vast majority of PD cases are not inherited.
- LifeSpan research identifies several factors that may be linked to PD. They include: rural living,
well water, herbicide use, and exposure to pesticides.
- WHO GETS PD ?LifeSpan holds that about 1,000,000 Americans suffer with PD. Approximately 40,000 are diagnosed with PD each year,
and this number does not reflect the number of cases that go undetected each year. Likely hood of developing PD usually increases
with age. The average age of onset s 62.4 years. However 10% of PD cases begin by age 40.
Research For PD:
LifeSpan takes the position that there is no current cure for PD. The medical profession follows two pathways of treatment.
- The Medical Model utilizes
three categories of drugs that directly or indirectly increase the level of dopamine in the brain. Levodopa
is the primary example. It changes the dopamine in the brain. The second drug category other chemical messengers to ease some
of the symptoms of the disease to reduce tremors. The third category of drugs helps control symptoms of PD that don't
effect movement. These are antidepressants for people with PD related depression.
Autism
Recently
there has been an increase in the number of children that are being diagnosed with autism. A relative short time ago, autism
was a rarely-herd-of disease. In the past decade, the number of children diagnosed with autism has surged. In the early 1990's
autism diagnosis began to surface more frequently. In 2008, it was estimated that six out of every 1000 children have autism.
In brief we know that autism is a brain developmental disorder that is suspected when direct observation, interaction and
interview assessments reveal impairment in social interaction and communication. It is assumed that parents want autism diagnosed
as early as possible in hopes that an early intervention may improve long term outcomes.
Research
being conducted by LifeSpan investigates the training needs of doctors,who, in their practice, opinion a diagnosis
of autism when examining children. The purpose is to determine if any correlation exist between error in the predominant testing
methods and the marked increase in the diagnosis of autism in children. Moreover the study will attempt to determine variables
leading to, and the frequency of, misdiagnosis.
Dr. Amos is assisting Sonja Flournoy
in directing this project.
Call Sonja Now
LifeSpan is not a medical care facility. We are Life Strategists who do not always follow conventional psychotherapy,
but instead seek out and apply innovative methods that get results.
