Developments of research on Parkinson's disease - Essay Example

Effects of Parkinson’s disease vary from person to person; from severe disability of controlling movements to just mere trembling of the hands. It is an unpredictable disorder. To some it advances fast eventually leading to their death, while to others the progress is slow. Today there are about1 million people with Parkinson’s disease in the United States and it is approximated that 60, 000 Americans add to that statistic annually. With the ever growing population of PD patients, it is unfortunate that up until now this disorder has no definite cure.

However, scientists and researchers the world over have made significant developments this past few decades towards attaining a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Currently there are numerous medications available to delay the onset of motor dysfunction for PD patients. The idea behind these medications is to replenish the dopamine level in the brain either by replacing dopamine, by mimicking the effect of it, or by prolonging the effect of it by slowing the process of its breakdown. The method has been effective in providing great relief from the symptoms of the disease.

Early medications on PD include dopamine agonists, a substance that mimics the function of dopamine; and monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitors, a substance that reduce the breakdown of dopamine. These medications are very effective in relieving symptoms concerning motor controls. Researches later on gave way to the development of levodopa medication. Levodopa is a substance converted into dopamine when it reached the brain. It is usually administered in conjunction with carbidopa which is the primary agent preventing levodopa from breaking down until it reaches its destination.

Although levodopa aids majority of the PD patients, only some of the symptoms respond effectively to the drug. The treatment is mostly effective to