Incidences of Neurological Diseases Are Prevalent Worldwide - Research Paper Example

?Neurological Disorders Neurological Disorders submitted) Neurological Disorders It cannot bedenied that incidences of neurological diseases are prevalent worldwide. Millions are already afflicted with the disease and is expected to cause more. In the United States, more than six million people are suffering from the different categories of neurological disorder (Edmunson, 2006). Europe also shows increasing prevalence which caused their neurophysiological monitoring market to spend a lot of money and still projected to spend more millions in the years to come. Asia particularly the West and Central areas also are not spared from the disorder. Russia, Middle East and India have high prevalence of neurological disorders with multiple sclerosis on the top list. With this situation, not only the budget of the country and families with neurological cases are challenged but also in the treatment and researches. The discussion of pathophysiology, prognosis, treatment, considerations, and impact on self and family may lead to a better understanding of the disease. Among the neurological disorder that is of interest is the Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a slow degenerative disorder of the central nervous system affecting the cognitive, motor, and other bodily functions (Tortora, 2008). Despite the many medical researches that were conducted regarding the Parkinson illness, it still is the second neurological disorder affecting many. Unfortunately, the treatments are focused not on Parkinson itself but on alleviating the signs and symptoms of it because the cause is unknown. It is believed that the disorder is the result of the interplay of genetics and the environment. It has been known that mutations in the genes are being passed from one generation to the next. Other factors like smoking, toxins, and deficiency in vitamin E are all contributory factors to the sensitivity of the nervous system which may in turn elicit its prevalence. Age is also found to be another culprit of the disease. In the study of Stephen and company (2003), they revealed that the rapid increase of incidences occur at the age of 60 with lesser percentage of victims below 50 of both sexes. They further found out that ethnicity and race also plays a role in the prevalence of Parkinson. Physiological Basis Although the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease is not fully understood, the disorder is a result of the interplay of several factors. Normally, stimulus from either outside or within the body causes impulses that could travel several meters along the billion neurons in just seconds to the brain. The impulse travels to the pre synaptic axons where it activates calcium gated channels that may trigger calcium influx. This may in turn activate neurotransmitters which diffuse into the synaptic gaps of the myelinated sheath to stimulate the next node. Thus, impulses leap from node to node along the mylelinated sheath until it is conducted to the brain for interpretation and proper action to take place. The fastest impulses involve those that innervate the skeletal muscles (Thibodeau & Patton, 2003). This might be the reason why individuals can retrieve their hands immediately if subjected to hot iron. Furthermore, actions are refined with the help of chemicals in the brain to adjust and guide actions. In the case of Parkinson’s disease, neurons of the substantia nigra undergo degeneration resulting in dopamine depletion. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter related to purposeful movement that inhibits the excitatory action of another neurotransmitter called acetylcholine to maintain balance. In addition, it controls emotion and pleasure. Dopamine is believed to be located within the nuclei thus the role of cerebral nuclei is very crucial in Parkinson disorder. Cerebral nuclei are diencephalic gray matters located in the cerebral cortex within the basal ganglia that function to inhibit several motor actions. For the cerebral nuclei to function normally, neurons from substantia nigra that secretes dopamine have to be healthy. However, in a Parkinson case, neurons leading to the substantia nigra deteriorates that may in turn lead to cell deaths. As a result, the amount of dopamine that is released is reduced. This may lead to imbalance between chemicals dopamine and acetylcholine. This situation of imbalances between the neurotransmitters results in the excess of cholinergic neurotransmitters, and deficiency of homovanillic acid (Pearce, 1987). If this happens, the excitatory effects are not controlled. The cerebral nuclei produce excessive signals or it may fire erratically affecting voluntary muscles in all parts of the body. Such scenario causes complex network disorders to include excitability, non synchrony, abnormal oscillatory activity, and reduced limbic and sensory functions as evident in tremor and “rolling pin” movements of the patient. The decrease in dopamine is caused by many factors. One is the antagonist drugs that may reverse the action of dopamine by preventing it from attaching to receptors and thereby reducing the amount of dopamine. Another is cocaine and amphetamine that may affect the flow of neurotransmitters. Cocaine prevents re-uptake of dopamine thus dopamine reserve is deprived while amphetamine releases more of it however is not being used properly because repeated use of such drug reduces number of receptors. Other factors may include poor nutrition that may damage cells, stress which might impede normal distribution of nutrients to the nerves and brain cells, and so with alcohol withdrawal and smoking cessation that may lead to lesser number of sensitive neurons for dopamine to attach to. Prognosis Although not all patients are the same, the nature of the disease and possible complications makes it difficult to predict the prognosis. Treatment could be demanding because the disorder may become progressively worse with the passage of time. Unfortunately, Parkinson disorder has no known treatment up to this date making the duration of treatment and care of Parkinson patient long lasting which could challenge the patience of the care givers. However, some patients may respond to quality care and treatments. Experts suggest that making the most of the patient’s life is the only consolation of delivering good treatment plan and nursing care. Treatment Treatments could include medication, surgery, homeopathic remedies, and exercise. Medication is the orthodox treatment of Parkinson used many years ago. The prescription of Levodopa relies on the known cause that dopamine is reduced in the condition of Parkinson in which Levodopa may counter act by increasing its production. The medication may also relieve symptomatic hallmark of the disorder like rigidity, tremor, and bradykinesia. L-dopa is converted to dopamine as it is transported to the brain. However, like all medications, L-dopa has side effects to include nausea, vomiting, postural hypotension, and mental changes. “Freezing attacks” could also happen with the drug where the patient’s body becomes rigid for a few minutes after medication. With all such side effects, L-dopa should be administered with cautions. The patient should not eat contraindicated foods while under medication. Foods rich in vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) should be limited in consumption because it affects the effectiveness of the drug. Potatoes, liver, whole grain, raw nuts and bananas should be limited. In addition, Levodopa should not be in combination with meals that contain high protein. Apart from the food, a co-enzyme NADH is needed for a more effective result. Studies conducted showed that patients who had been taking niacin which is among the component of NADH had shown significant improvement. Other drugs which are simultaneously taken with Levodopa such as dopamine agonists, apomorphine, selegiline, anticholinergics, and amantadine prove helpful. Signs and symptoms that cannot be controlled by medications are managed with surgery. The principal surgical intervention is deep brain stimulation (DBS). The procedure involves implanting of neurostimulator which is battery operated medical device with the same size of a stop watch. The purpose of which is to deliver stimulation to the targeted part of the brain and to block abnormal nerve signals that cause tremor and other symptoms of Parkinson disorder. However before the procedure, the patient has to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to deeply visualize areas to be operated. Homeopathic remedies which rely on the law of physics and chemistry are also found to be effective. It comes in many forms however their application all depends on the symptoms to improve. One is the use of Mercurius derived from the element mercury. This method has been adapted during the early times of Chinese medicine and Hindu civilization. Its effectiveness had attracted the attention of medical doctors and had been adapted by modern medicine to treat stammering during talking and excessive trembling. Although before applying Mercurius, it has to be diluted with milk sugar. Another homeopathic methodology is the use of Zincum Metallicum, a mineral found in sulfur. Homeopaths consider this as a source of energy needed by the nervous system. The remedy targets symptoms such as trembling which is evident when patient is under emotional stress. Trembling after the therapy becomes worst in the early part of the evening especially when touched but it may make the patient feel better after eating a meal. Exercises could also significantly contribute to the wellness of Parkinson patients but this should be done with the help of a therapist to evaluate particular exercise. This way, safety and effectiveness is ensured. In addition, caregivers should be taught the mechanics of exercise to effectively assist in the in- home exercises and daily tasks of the patient. Exercise may involve stretching, aerobic conditioning, strength training, range of motion exercises, and aquatic exercises. All of which are not only beneficial in improving function loss to restore balance but also a worthwhile activity for an individual who feel in despair because of the devastating effect of the disorder. Considerations and impact of Parkinson disorder on self and family The progressive disability in Parkinson affects not only the patient but also the family and society in general. Patients could be a weary load. Rubenstein, DeLeo, & Chrischilles ( 2001) in their study explained that Parkinson can be a burden because of several reasons. Treatment and care may increase the use of health care resources. It cannot be denied that treatment entails the increase expenses in fare or gasoline use in going not only in hospitals but also to the ancillary and community clinics for consultation and treatment. The above study further explained that increased use of self care aides may also drain resources. At times access to appropriate professional help could be limited. Such is mostly experienced for those patients living far from the main city. The stress of giving care is likewise an issue because the family member who takes care of the Parkinson patient may loss source of income. As a result this may disrupt family relationship. The disorder directly affects the patient as well. It may reduce his social and leisure activities. For instance, if the person is a sport enthusiast, he may not enjoy the same activity anymore. The same applies in the social aspect. The signs and symptoms may impede the patient to be with friends or other people for reasons that he may not be comfortable or be happy because of embarrassment. This is especially true when stuttering is severe. Being away with friends may affect the psychological thinking of the patient. Observation has it that depression and anxiety is common as a result. Such scenario may lead to further deterioration in the emotional well being making the life of the patient poor quality and miserable. Works Cited Edmunson, J., (2006). Neurological disease statistics. Blue line publicity. PDF. Pearce, J., (1987). Etiology and natural history of Parkinson’s disease, British Medical journal. Vol. 16; 2(6153): 1664–1666. Rubenstein, LM., DeLeo, A., Chrischilles, EA., (2001). Economic and health-related quality of life considerations of new therapies in Parkinson's disease. Pharmacoeconomics. 19(7):729- 52. Stephen, K., et al. (2003). Incidence of Parkinson’s Disease: Variation by Age, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity. American Journal of Epidemiology. 157 (11): 1015-1022. Thibodeau, G., & Patton, K., (2003). Anatomy and physiology. Mosby Inc. Wisconsin. Tortora, G., (2008). Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, Wiley; 12 edition Read More