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Ann Marie A.

Master Emma and Liz

8A Science

3 May 2019

Parkinson’s Disease Affecting Society

What if you were to suddenly lose some of your speaking and writing abilities, maybe

even have tremendously long movements, I would say you have the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease also known as PD is a genetic disease that affects the brain. It is becoming a huge

global issue because it has begun to effect more and more people over the years. PD has many effects on

the human brain, it may be a genetic disease, but the rates are increasing, we need to deal with this issue

before it’s too late.

PD as you may or may not know causes major effects a

person's movement. The effects of the disease messing

with our brain activity are tremors,

https://wwspt.com/parkinsons-disease-pd-is-a-progressive-neurologic-disorder/

slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture/balance, loss of automatic movement, and speech and

writing changes. These symptoms gradually become worse and worse over the years of a person aging.

The symptoms sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand (Mayo Clinic Staff).

Some researchers and doctors have come up with some possible treatments for PD. One of those is

Stereotactic Surgery. This is a method used to insert a very specific type of “cure” to help the neuro
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disease. There is also a treatment called the shaking chair. This as it sounds is a shaking chair that helps

relieve the pain of PD by shaking your body. There are also other treatments such as levodopa, dopamine,

COMT inhibitors, selegiline, anticholinergic medications, amantadine, surgery, pallidotomy,

thalamotomy, and DBS. All of theses treatments are still in the work because the rate for getting

diagnosed with PD is still increasing. Some of the causes for PD is of course the genetic factor, but also

environmental changes. Exposure to certain toxins or environmental factors may increase the risk of later

Parkinson’s disease (Mayo Clinic).

PD is affecting our society. PD is the second

most common neuro disease other than Alzheimer's.

PD occurs in 1% of the population over the age 60,

and increases to 5% of the population over the age of

85 (ParkinsonsDisease.net). PD effects women

https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/new-insights-role-gut-microbiota-parkinsons-disease/

slightly different than men, even though it is less

common then PD in men. The difference to this is unclear, however, some explanations include higher

rate of minor head trauma and exposure to occupational toxins in men. The rate for PD is higher

industrialized countries, however, in 2005 approximately 4.1 million and 4.6 million people had PD. By

2030 approximately 8.7million and 9.3 million will have PD (ParkinsonsDisease.net). This has a huge

impact on society because we need to be able to diagnose faster so we can treat these people in time.

We need to be able tom address the symptoms and the higher

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https://sites.google.com/a/isd273.org/2017s1-12a-parkinsons/risk​ rates ​ ​for Parkinson’s disease, and that there are treatments. To do this we need
​

more infographics and signs in hospitals to educate people incase they are​ ​showing specific symptoms.

We also need to let the public know that their are treatments that can help before you are too far down the

road with PD. We also need to address how PD is more common in men than women, and that it is more

common in whites than blacks or asians. It’s also important to let people know that it is genetic as well as

environmental. The rates for PD is increasing rapidly each year. The more the years go on the higher the

rates are for PD.

Over all, PD is becoming an issue. The more we know about PD, the more knowledge we will

have to find better and more treatments. This is effecting everyone because you may not know you have it

and there’s a good chance you do, so that's why we need to address the causes of PD.

Works Cited

​Palfreman, Jon. “Brain Storms: the race to unlock the mysteries of Parkinson’s disease.” ​New York:
Scientific American/Farrar, ​Straus and Giroux, 2015.

Mayo Clinic Staff, “Parkinson’s disease”​Mayo Clinic​, 1998-2019

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055
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Neurological Surgeons, “Parkinson’s Disease” ​American Association of Neurological Surgeons,​ 2019

https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Parkinsons-Disease

ParkinsonsDisease.net, “Special Populations Affected By Parkinson’s

Disease.”​ParkinsonsDisease.net,​ Health Union, 2017-2019,
https://parkinsonsdisease.net/special-populations/

ParkinsonsDisease.net, “How Common is Parkinson’s Disease?”​ParkinsonsDisease.net,​ Health

Union, 2017-2019, ​https://parkinsonsdisease.net/basics/statistics/