2-Minute Neuroscience: Parkinson’s Disease

In this video, I discuss Parkinson’s condition– the second most common neurodegenerative disease behind Alzheimer’s disease. Parkinson’s illness is connected with the deterioration and death of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra is an area of the mind that is part of a collection of frameworks referred to as the basic ganglia, which are essential to motion. Parkinson’s illness individuals experience serious activity problems that end up being extra bothersome as the degeneration of substantia nigra nerve cells comes to be extra substantial. One of the most common treatment for Parkinson’s condition involves the administration of L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine that allows the brain to synthesize even more of the neurotransmitter to renew depleted dopamine levels.

TRANSCRIPT:

Welcome to 2-minute neuroscience, where I discuss neuroscience topics in 2 mins or less. In this installation I will go over Parkinson’s condition.

Parkinson’s illness is thought about a neurodegenerative illness because it involves the deterioration and death of nerve cells. It is most often seen in adults over the age of 50.

The most identifiable signs of Parkinson’s at first are movement-related and also normally involve a tremor that is worse when an individual goes to remainder, bradykinesia, which is slowness of movement, rigidness, and also postural disability. Parkinson’s people additionally often experience non-motor signs like cognitive problems or psychological signs and symptoms. The reasons for Parkinson’s are not fully understood, however a mix of genetic and environmental aspects is most likely entailed.

Parkinson’s people have reduced levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the basic ganglia, a team of frameworks entailed with movement (amongst various other features). These low dopamine degrees in the basal ganglia are brought on by the fatality of dopamine nerve cells in a region of the basal ganglia called the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra has high numbers of dopamine nerve cells, however by the end phases of Parkinson’s clients have actually often shed majority of the dopamine nerve cells in this area.

The most typical treatment for Parkinson’s involves an attempt to recover depleted dopamine degrees in the basal ganglia. This can lead to enhancement in the motor signs of Parkinson’s, however L-DOPA does not stop the neurodegeneration that happens in parkinson’s condition, and also lasting usage of L-DOPA can cause a number of side impacts, consisting of movement-related issues. It is not a remedy for the disease and other therapies are still being discovered.

REFERENCE:

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, Hall WC, Lamantia AS, McNamara JO, White LE. Neuroscience.