All you need to know about Parkinson's Disease

by Advancells Stem Cell Therapy Regenerative Medicine in India

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the predominately dopamine-secreting (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a particular region of the brain known as substantia nigra. Symptoms generally advance slowly over years. The development of signs and symptoms is usually a bit distinctive from one person to another because of the diversity of the disease. Individuals with Parkinson's disease may also experience:

Tremors
Bradykinesia
Limb inflexibility
Difficulty in walking and maintaining equilibrium

While Parkinson's itself is not fatal, the disease complications can get quite serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarded problems from Parkinson's as the 14^th cause of death in the United States. Nearly ten lakh individuals in the United States are victims of Parkinson's disease (PD), which is greater than the number of individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis combined. This is anticipated to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. The incidence of Parkinson's disease ascends with age, however, a predicted four percent of individuals with Parkinson's disease are diagnosed earlier than the age of 50. Also, men are 1.5 times more prone to acquiring Parkinson's disease than women.

It is imperative that one understands that individuals suffering from Parkinson's disease initially start experiencing symptoms much later in the phase of the disease because a substantial amount of the substantia nigra neurons have already been lost or impaired. Lewy bodies (accumulation of abnormal alpha-synuclein) are observed in substantia nigra neurons of Parkinson's disease patients.

Types of Parkinson’s Disease

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
Juvenile and young-onset Parkinson’s disease
Drug-induced parkinsonism
Multiple system atrophy
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Corticobasal syndrome
Dementia with Lewy bodies
Vascular parkinsonism
Normal-pressure hydrocephalus

Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease MOTOR SYMPTOMS

Tremors
Rigidity
Bradykinesia
Postural Instability
Walking or Gait Difficulties
Dystonia
Vocal Symptoms

NON- MOTOR SYMPTOMS

Disturbances in the Sense of Smell
Sleep Problems
Depression and Anxiety
Pain
Psychosis
Fatigue
Cognitive Changes
Weight Loss
Gastrointestinal Issues
Lightheadedness
Urinary Issues
Sweating
Melanoma
Personality Changes
Eye & Vision Issues

CAUSE OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

A lot of research has been conducted on the investigation of the root cause of Parkinson’s disease, but so far, researchers are not sure of the precise cause of Parkinson's disease.

Partial information about the condition is known which states that in a specific region of the brain known as the substantia nigra, the cells that produce dopamine start to perish. Dopamine is the chemical messenger that conducts messages between nerves that regulate muscle movements as well as those involved in the brain's pleasure and reward centers. When the cells that produce dopamine start to die, the dopamine level falls. When the levels fall too low, one cannot regulate one's movements and starts exhibiting Parkinson's symptoms. It is still unknown as to what triggers the death of the dopamine-producing cells.

There exists some evidence that the environment can play a role in Parkinson's disease. Acquaintance to many chemicals has been proposed as a conceivable link to the condition. These include:

insecticides
herbicides
fungicides

There are some other factors too that have been reckoned to trigger Parkinson’s:

The major risk factor for developing Parkinson’s is progressing age. The average age of commencement is 60.
Men are at a higher risk to develop Parkinson’s disease than women.
People with a parent or sibling, affected have almost two times the chance of developing Parkinson’s.

Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

No specific test exists to diagnose Parkinson's disease. A neurologist will diagnose Parkinson's disease primarily based on one's clinical history, an evaluation of one's signs and symptoms, and a neurological and physical exam. The physician can in addition propose a specific single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) test known as dopamine transporter test (DaTscan). Although this could assist the suspicion that one has Parkinson's disease, it is primarily your signs and neurologic exam that in the end determine an appropriate diagnosis. Most individuals do not require a DaTscan. The physician might also additionally order lab tests, consisting of blood tests, to rule out other conditions that may be inflicting the symptoms.

Imaging tests — consisting of an MRI, ultrasound of the brain, and PET scans — additionally may be used to assist rule out other disorders. Imaging tests are not especially useful for diagnosing Parkinson's.

Which is the best method of treatment for Parkinson’s disease?

The current management of Parkinson’s disease is focused on symptom regulation using mainly dopaminergic drugs including:

Levodopa
Dopamine agonists
Monoamine oxidase-b inhibitors

While these medications are effective at improving the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, these generally result in significant side effects, attributable to non-targeted and non-physiological delivery of dopamine in the brain.

Stem cell treatment is developing as the most promising tactic for the treatment of individuals affected with Parkinson’s disease. Even though growth in this avenue has been slow but a number of exciting clinical trials and research studies are now on the horizon, and there is a sincere hope that stem cells will enter the regular treatment section in the near future.

Ø The research by Redmond Jr et al. reports that the human neural stem cells (hNSCs) when transplanted in animal models have a huge chance of survival and migration which in turn conveys behavioral retrieval of Parkinson symptoms, which is directly associated with the reduced dopamine levels in the nigrostriatal system.

Ø Gonzalez et al.'s research study state, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, the use of human parthenogenetic-derived neural stem cells. The study was successfully conducted on animal models with Parkinson’s and led to augmented levels of dopamine.

Ø Another study by Kern et al. was conducted on 12 individuals affected with Parkinson’s disease. Human parthenogenetic neural stem cells were transplanted into the brain of these individuals and it revealed that the therapy was safe. Also, individuals injected with human neural stem cells showed 53% improvement.

Why is Parkinson’s disease awareness important?

Considering the ascending prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD), the lack of awareness and understanding concerning Parkinson's disease can present obstacles to the early diagnosis and the availability of optimum care to affected individuals. More awareness, the faster the disease can be identified, and the more efficiently it can be treated. Also, as with every ailment, scientific trials provide researchers possibilities to discover better strategies to detect, control and treat diseases like Parkinson's. Thus, the primary cause of Parkinson's awareness is to foster a feeling of public urgency.

Which is the best organization for treating Parkinson’s disease in India?

There are many organizations that claim to treat Parkinson's disease; these establishments guarantee cures and offer false promises with the sole purpose of luring innocent patients looking for a ray of hope. The level of transparency is extremely low with these organizations and obtaining 100% sincere data is next to impossible if you are signing up with these establishments. In addition to this, all stem cell therapy organizations do not provide quality-characterized stem cells for the treatment or rehabilitation therapies and are usually not cost-effective.

Taking all these concerns into account, Advancells is the best establishment that offers effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease in India. Advancells does not offer any false promises and provides quality efficient stem cells, besides providing rehabilitation therapy consultation. Patients with Parkinson’s disease after getting treated at Advancells reported,

Improved body balance
Reduced tremors
Reduced muscle rigidity

Furthermore, genuine testimonials by patients are an excellent witness to the success rate of Parkinson’s disease treatment at Advancells. It is our topmost priority to deliver a very comprehensive, personalized stem cell therapy for Parkinson, which is appropriate for the individuals undergoing the treatment. With wide-ranging research, these challenges are now comprehensible to therapeutic avenues resulting in novel treatments of Parkinson’s Disease.

For free medical consultation on stem cell therapy, contact info@advancells.com