Our brain secretes a neurohormone called ‘dopamine’ that makes the body move and motivated. When dopamine secretion is not good due to aging, symptoms such as hand tremors, slow movements, and sleep disturbance appear, which is called ‘Parkinson’s disease’.
According to the National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service’s statistics on the number of Parkinson’s disease patients by year in Korea, it increased by 8.85% from 115,679 in 2017 to 125,927 in 2020. As of 2020, there were more females (67.8%) than males (32.2%), followed by those in their 80s, 70s, and 60s.
Because Parkinson’s disease is caused by aging brain cells, 70% of patients are older than 70 years. But it doesn’t just happen to the elderly. Exposure to air pollutants such as fine dust and sulfur oxides, or water or air contaminated with heavy metals can accelerate aging. Other genetic factors may cause it to occur at a young age.
The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremor (tremor), tremor (slow movement), sleep disturbance, and low blood pressure. Tremors usually appear on the hands, and patients often complain of discomfort in social life. If sacrosis appears in the legs, ‘gait disorder’ appears when you want to walk, but you do not move well and walk unstable. Sleep disorders appear in various forms, such as REM sleep disorder and restless legs syndrome, as well as simple insomnia.
Parkinson’s disease does not show abnormal findings on brain MRI, so even if there are symptoms, an appropriate diagnosis may not be made. In order to diagnose Parkinson’s disease, it is necessary to check not only the patient’s symptoms but also the occurrence of ‘dopamine transporter density decrease’ in the basal ganglia of the brain through PET-CT.
Parkinson’s disease is usually treated with medications to relieve symptoms. Levodopa, a drug that converts brain cells to dopamine, is the most used. Dopamine agonists, which activate receptors that dopamine acts on in neurons, are also used. Other medications are used to control symptoms.
In most cases, symptoms can be improved with medication. However, there is still no fundamental treatment to prevent the progression of Parkinson’s disease, and if the drug treatment is continued for more than 10 years, the side effect of the drug decreases quickly. In this case, ‘dyskinesia’ that interferes with daily life, such as stopping while walking, may appear, and may expose you to the risk of accidents.
Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital Neurosurgery Professor Jeong Moon-young said, “If the side effects of the drug are less effective, ‘deep brain stimulation’, a surgical treatment, can be performed. Electrodes are placed in the brain to give electrical stimulation, which blocks abnormal signals in the brain. It can improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by activating the basal ganglia instead of dopamine.”
To prevent Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative brain disease, an aging diet and regular exercise are helpful. A balanced diet and low-carbohydrate diet are recommended, and it is recommended to consume a lot of antioxidants such as fresh foods and nuts. It is also good to supplement with several vitamins. Although exercise does not directly prevent Parkinson’s disease, increasing muscle mass can help prevent worsening of symptoms because it can maintain physical activity even if Parkinson’s disease develops.
Professor Jung said, “Parkinson’s disease is not fatal to life, but due to visible symptoms such as tremor and gait disturbance, it accompanies depression and anxiety and greatly reduces the quality of life. You need to find a doctor and get a diagnosis,” he advised. Reporter Jang Jong-ho [email protected]