Parkinsonism

PARKINSONISM

parkinsonism is any condition that causes a combination of the movement abnormalities seen in Parkinson s disease — such as tremor , slow movement, impaired speech or muscle stiffness — especially resulting from the loss of dopamine- containing nerve cells (neurons).

Possible Causes

Not everyone who has parkinsonism has Parkinson s disease. There are many other causes of parkinsonism (secondary parkinsonism), including:

  • Medications, such as those used to treat psychosis, major psychiatric disorders and nausea
  • Repeated head trauma, such as injuries sustained in boxing
  • Certain neurodegenerative disorders, such as multiple system atrophy, Levvybody dementia and progressive supranuclear palsy
  • Exposure to toxins, such as carbon monoxide, cyanide and organic solvents
  • Certain brain lesions, such as tumors, or fluid buildup
  • Metabolic and other disorders, such as chronic liver failure or Wilson's disease

Managing parkinsonism with medications

  • For drug-induced parkinsonism, discontinuing the medications that cause the condition may reverse it.
  • For other forms of parkinsonism, taking Parkinson's disease medications — typically a carbidopa-levodopa

However, these drugs aren't likely to be as effective for some forms of parkinsonism as they are for Parkinson's disease. Levodopa — which occurs naturally in the body and is always taken as a combination drug — replenishes brain dopamine, and brain dopamine loss is fundamental to Parkinson's disease. However, in other parkinsonian disorders, additional brain pathways may be affected.