Parkinsons Disease: New Treatments - Essay Example

Since messages cannot be communicated, messages cannot be sent and functioning of the muscles is not proper and eventually there is a loss of functioning. Why these brain cells deteriorate is not known. (Talan, 2012) Scientists say that neural cells deteriorate due to environmental reasons such as stress as well biological and mostly genetic factors. There are many genes that are related to Parkinson’s but usually it comes up for no apparent reason in an individual. Men also seem to be more susceptible to this disease than women. (Heyn) Other symptoms include hallucinations, fainting, depression, stress, mask-like face etc.

These are also called the secondary symptoms of Parkinson’s while the former are called primary symptoms of the disease (Heyn) There is no one particular way to diagnose Parkinson’s but many methods have been devised such as the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Such tests measure the moods, motor functions and daily activities of those suspected to have this disease. It is easier to diagnose the disease if the symptoms aforementioned start on one of the sides of the body, and if more than two symptoms are present, and if using levodopa alleviates the disease. (Heyn) There is no absolute cure for Parkinson’s disease.

There are many drugs and other techniques to deal with it, and even pharmacists play a role in helping a patient. They can assist you in what medicines to take, dealing with side effects and also teaching patients what to eat and what not to eat, what side effects there will be, what dosage of medicines to take and the route their disease will take. (Day Scott, 2009) There are several therapies to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. There need to be drugs which basically serve the purpose of dopamine or just mimic it.

And the most effective drug so far is Levodopa which is turned into dopamine in the brain.