What causes Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson’s disease a degenerative neurological condition that primarily affects the motor system but has other symptoms as well. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by loss of neurons or brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Parkinson’s disease was first documented by Dr James Parkinson in 1817, after whom the disease is named.

The primary signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease is a slowness of movement (bradykinesia), tremors, and rigidity. Other associated symptoms include a shuffling gait, reduced facial expressions or a mask-like face, slowed or slurred speech, less social interaction, insomnia, low mood and anxiety, postural instability leading to frequent falls, and cognitive impairment.

As mentioned before, the primary cause of Parkinson’s disease is loss of dopamine producing neurons. This loss of neurons is a slow process and is responsible for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

A number of factors may be responsible for this neuronal loss such as:

·         Genetics

Parkinson’s disease seems to run in families with 15% of all people having PD also having a first-degree relative with the same condition. Certain genes have been implicated as the causes of Parkinson’s disease such as PARK1, PARK7, LRRK2, etc. Mutations in the LRRK genes seem to be the most likely cause.

·         Environmental causes

Exposure to harmful chemicals such as pesticides as well as repeated trauma to the head can cause Parkinson’s disease.

It is likely that a combination of genetics and environmental factors cause Parkinson’s disease.

Reference: Marian D'Souza