Causes of early onset Parkinson's disease Genetic factors, environmental factors, or some combination of the two may play a role. This condition occurs when cells are lost in the part of the brain that produces dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for sending brain signals that control movement.
For most people with PD, the disease is caused by a combination of genetics and environmental exposures. However, genetics plays a larger role in YOPD. Scientists have discovered genes that can cause or increase the risk of developing Parkinson's at a younger age.
While genetics is thought to play a role in Parkinson's, in most cases the disease does not seem to run in families. Many researchers now believe that Parkinson's results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins.
About 10%-20% of those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are under age 50, and about half of those are diagnosed before age 40. Approximately 90,000 new cases of Parkinson's are diagnosed each year in the United States, meaning somewhere around 9,000 – 18,000 are young onset patients.
About 15 percent of people with Parkinson's disease have a family history of the condition, and family-linked cases can result from genetic mutations in a group of genes — LRRK2, PARK2, PARK7, PINK1 or the SNCA gene (see below).
Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medications can help control the symptoms, often dramatically. In some more advanced cases, surgery may be advised. Your health care provider may also recommend lifestyle changes, especially ongoing aerobic exercise.
Most cases of Parkinson's aren't hereditary. But people who get early-onset Parkinson's disease are more likely to have inherited it. Having a family history of Parkinson's disease may increase the risk that you'll get it. This means that having a parent or sibling with Parkinson's slightly increases the risk.
The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement.
Stage One. During this initial stage, the person has mild symptoms that generally do not interfere with daily activities. Tremor and other movement symptoms occur on one side of the body only. Changes in posture, walking and facial expressions occur.
Parkinson's Disease Is a Progressive Disorder
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, patients usually begin developing Parkinson's symptoms around age 60 and many live between 10 and 20 years after being diagnosed.
By the time Parkinson's is diagnosed, most people have lost an estimated 60 to 80 percent of their dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra. While loss of dopamine accounts for the characteristic features of the disease, recent studies have revealed that a number of other brain systems are also damaged.
So far, only two theories have shown to be helpful: exercise and diet. According to studies, physical activity is not only a good way to treat patients with Parkinson's disease, it appears to help prevent or delay the onset. Getting the body moving helps build strength, balance, endurance and coordination.
Research suggests that stressful life events may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. In addition, animal studies indicate that stress damages dopamine cells, resulting in more severe parkinsonian symptoms. In humans, acute stress can worsen motor symptoms, including bradykinesia, freezing, and tremor.
PD patients with an AAO before 40 years had a more than fivefold higher mortality rate compared to a similar general population. EOPD patients had the longest median survival; however, their life expectancy was reduced to a greater degree than that of late-onset PD patients.
Environmental Factors in Parkinson's Disease
These substances include the insecticides rotenone and permethrin (which may be found in clothing or nets treated to kill mosquitoes, for example); organochlorines, such as beta-hexachlorocyclohexane; and the herbicides paraquat and 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D).
To diagnose Parkinson's, a doctor will take a neurological history and perform an in-office exam. Although there are no standard diagnostic tests, some doctors may order imaging testing to help confirm a PD diagnosis in the early stages of the disease.
Parkinson's disease is progressive: It gets worse over time. The primary Parkinson's disease symptoms — tremors, rigid muscles, slow movement (bradykinesia), and difficulty balancing — may be mild at first but will gradually become more intense and debilitating.
Stage 1 is the mildest form of Parkinson's. At this stage, there may be symptoms, but they're not severe enough to interfere with daily tasks and overall lifestyle. In fact, the symptoms are so minimal at this stage that they're often missed.
Long-term outlook. Parkinson's is not a fatal disease, meaning one does not die from it. Early detection is the key to helping reduce complications that can shorten life expectancy. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have Parkinson's disease, see your doctor right away.
The interlocking finger test (ILFT) is a bedside screening test in which the subject must imitate four bimanual finger gestures without symbolic meaning. We assessed the utility of the test in the cognitive evaluation of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).
Recent studies have found that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to help find and diagnose Parkinson's much earlier than other methods. MRIs look for specific markers in the brain that can indicate Parkinson's. Often, these markers are present even before symptoms of Parkinson's begin.
Genetics. A number of genetic factors have been shown to increase a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease, although exactly how these make some people more susceptible to the condition is unclear. Parkinson's disease can run in families as a result of faulty genes being passed to a child by their parents.
Because Parkinson's primarily affects people as they grow older, the steady increase in humanity's average age means an inevitable increase in the prevalence of Parkinson's.
With genetic testing now available, people with Parkinson's and their families are increasingly turning to testing to learn more about their disease and if their children are at risk.