Search Results for: blog living with parkinsons disease

Do You Have a Living Will?

Many people don’t like to think about — or talk about — death. But it may be wise to think about the shape you’d like the end of your life to take now… before someone else has to make the decision for you. In the summer of 2001, my paternal grandmother passed away. It was somewhat unexpected — she had been living with Parkinson’s disease, but was largely stable. It was my paternal grandfather who had been very sick that same summer, and he was the one we were worried about. When Gramma died, we started making plans for her … Continue reading →

Brain Pacemaker for Parkinson’s Disease

A sort of pacemaker for the brain is showing promising results in testing on people with Parkinson’s disease. More than two hundred people with advanced Parkinson’s disease participated in testing, held at university and Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country. Some were treated only with medication; others were randomly assigned the surgery to implant electrodes that would stimulate the brain. (This “brain pacemaker” is also known as deep brain stimulation.) After six months, the patients who had the brain pacemaker experienced a dramatic reduction in tremors, limb rigidity, and movement restriction. Many reported a reduction or termination of nerve burning/tingling … Continue reading →

A New Warning Sign for Parkinson’s Disease

Research from the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System in Honolulu, Hawaii has come up with a new warning sign for Parkinson’s disease — a warning sign that may appear several years before clinical symptoms show up. The researchers looked at data from an aging study with more than 2200 participants. Their focus? The ability to identify odors. About the study participants: 2267 men of Japanese ancestry Average age at time of initial study: 80 All free of symptoms of dementia at beginning of study All free of symptoms of Parkinson’s disease at beginning of study Researchers checked in with … Continue reading →

Surgery For Parkinson’s Disease

There are several different types of surgery that have been used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Brain Lesioning: a procedure where a surgeon uses a heat probe to destroy a small area of brain tissue that is abnormally active in patients with Parkinson’s disease. This produces a permanent effect on the brain; only one side of the brain may undergo lesioning at a time. Thalamic Surgery: once used for treating Parkinson’s disease; now used only for patients with essential tremor. Pallidotomy: a procedure that improves tremor, rigidity, and some other movement problems. Only one side of the brain may undergo pallidotomy … Continue reading →

A Closer Look At Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that affects different parts of the brain. More than one million people in North America and more than four million people worldwide have the disease. As the general population ages, the number of cases of Parkinson disease increase. Parkinson disease is known as late onset if symptoms begin after the age of fifty and early onset if symptoms begin before the age of fifty. If symptoms appear before the age of twenty, the disease may be called juvenile onset Parkinson disease. Most cases of Parkinson disease occur in people with … Continue reading →