How Parkinson’s Disease Affects the Body and the Mind
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder – this means that the symptoms of the illness will get worse over time. People usually notice the first signs of the disease are rigid muscles, or a tremor in some of the muscles. The reason for this is because the chemical in the brain, dopamine is the chemical that transfers messages to the nerves. Parkinson’s disease stops this happening and people who have then start to lose control of parts of the body.
Because there is no cure for Parkinson’s these symptoms have to be managed with the help of a doctor – there are some drugs that can alleviate some of the symptoms, and there is ongoing research into a cure for Parkinson’s disease such as TQT studies.
The disease can become much more difficult for the person to manage as it progresses, and less dopamine is available to the body. As well as the body, the brain is also affected. Dopamine is also responsible for how we feel – it is the chemical responsible for allowing us to focus on tasks and our work, as well as what makes us pursue interests and take an interest in things.
This means that people with Parkinson’s may also suffer mentally as well as physically. Sleep problems, depression and listlessness are all usual in people with the disease, as well as when the disease progresses to later stages, the person may also experience hallucinations or start to also suffer from delusions.
