Parkinsons Disease: Description, Causes, and Symptoms

Parkinsons disease (PD) is one of the most prominent neurodegenerative complications, primarily affecting the individuals motor system. There are five primary stages of disease progression, each associated with a specific variety of symptoms (Stages of Parkinsons, n.d.). Stage one generally implies mild consequences, such as slight tremors in one side of the body and movement complications, which are not detrimental to daily activities. Consequently, stage two is associated with tremors that affect the whole body, and problems with movement become more apparent. The third stage makes it highly complicated for the patient to eat and dress by themselves due to loss of balance and overall stiffness of movement. The symptoms worsen even further in stage four, and the individual requires appropriate assistance to stand and perform any daily activities. Ultimately, stage five has the most detrimental consequences, practically nullifying the individuals motor system and making them bedridden. Furthermore, the person might also experience hallucinations, delusions, and other non-motor symptoms, which significantly deteriorate the patients quality of life.

The causes of symptoms are not very well-known, and the experts struggle to provide an effective solution to the problem. Nevertheless, most physicians believe that genetics and environmental factors are the two primary causes of the disease (Causes, n.d.). Concerning the former, the experts generally agree that genetics cause approximately 15% of the total disease cases (Genetics and Parkinsons, n.d.). Environmental factors, such as exposure to pesticides, are also associated with Parkinsons disease (Environmental factors, n.d.). Nevertheless, regardless of the cause, affected people experience a diverse speed of symptom progression, and the experts cannot accurately explain this phenomenon. Ultimately, there are many potential causes, such as genetics, environmental factors, gender, age, and physical traumas, but additional research is required to give a definitive answer to the problem.