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It is a degenerative disease that leads to movement restriction and tremor caused by the loss of dopaminergic cells in the brain. The cause of the disease and the mechanisms leading to neuron loss have not yet been fully elucidated, it is believed that genetic and environmental factors play a role. Advanced age, having Parkinson's disease in first-degree relatives, having a history of serious head trauma, and living in a rural area are risk factors that have been identified in epidemiological studies.
The most easily noticed symptom of Parkinson's Disease is tremor. There is usually a tremor that starts in one hand and occurs at rest. Over time, the side where the tremor starts spreads to the leg and then to the other hand and leg. Another type of tremor seen in Parkinson's disease is jaw tremor. Another symptom that may be noticed in patients is a slowing of movements, a decrease in blinking and facial expressions. Because of this, patients walk in a forward-leaning position and with small steps, balance disorders and falls occur due to decreased movements and reflexes. Along with a slowdown in movements, a low tone of voice and a monotonous way of speaking with a low voice occur, in which emotions are not reflected in speech. In order for these symptoms to occur, dopaminergic neurons must be lost at a rate of 60-70%. In fact, the disease begins much earlier than these symptoms. At earlier stages, symptoms such as inability to smell, sleep disorders, constipation and depression are observed in patients.
Basically, the patient needs to be examined by a specialist. Tremor in the patient, movement characteristics in the joints, walking and slowness are evaluated. It is distinguished from the table of parkinsonism, which occurs in drug side effects or other diseases of the brain other than Parkinson's Disease. Although it varies depending on the condition of the patients, blood tests and cranial MRI are mainly required. Scales created in the form of questions and answers can be used in terms of the degree of the disease and the monitoring of drug effects.
