THE SHAKING PALSY.pdf 2025 Coursera

Though Parkinson's disease is a vast disease to explain; through my this project work I have tried to share my knowledge about this disease. Professor Meson's lectures also enhance my understanding. I also researched this online, and I tried to describe in my own words. Here I have mentioned some key points and tried to describe it. It contained neuropathology, its symptoms, cause of symptoms, brain dopamine system, its stages, brain region affected in this, treatment. Though is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, its real cause and treatment is still not discovered. That's the reason it generally become fatal. Researchers are doing their work and I am hopeful that we get a better output and Parkinson's disease patient also get a chance to live.

1. PARKINSON’S
DISEASE
-THE SHAKING PALSY

PARKINSON’S DISEASE is already the second most
common neuro-degenerative disease of mid-to-late
life in developed countries. It will become
increasingly prevalent in developing countries.
COURSE:
UNDERSTANDING THE BRAIN: THE NEUROBIOLOGY
OF EVERYDAY LIFE

2. APARKINSON’S DISEASE
- THE SHAKING PALSY
Contents
 INTRODUCTION
 DEFINITION
 CAUSES OF P.D.
 SYMPTOMS
 WHAT CAUSES PARKINSON’S
SYMPTOMS
 STAGES OF P.D.
 BRAIN DOPAMINE SYSTEM
 BRAIN REGION AFFECTED
 TREATMENT/MANAGEMENT
 THANK YOU NOTE

3. INTRoDUCTION -BY PALAK SAHU
My late maternal grandfather, an ex-air force
officer, had developed PARKINSON’S DISEASE right
after his retirement. When he was alive and living with
P.D. I did not got chance to have a talk with him. So
after his death, last year, I decided to speak with his
son, who took care of him in his sick phase, about how
P.D. had affected his nervous system and in what ways
that was affecting his motor abilities. I talked with him
briefly to hear what he experienced with his late father
and I then incorporate this interview into my project. I
then noted the elements affected in P.D. , describe
which pathways were affected in my late grandfather
case of P.D. and cite Professor Meson’s lecture about
P.D. Having researched this online, I describe the
process in my own words and cite my source.

4. Definition
PARKINSON’S DISEASE is a progressive,
degenerative disorder of the nervous system
that primarily affects movements.
It typically affect older adults.
It is not a contagious disease.

5. CAUSES OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE
 Reasons for PARKINSON’S DISEASE are
still unknown. About 10% cases are
genetic i.e.it either inherited from one or
both parents. Remaining 90% are
idiopathic i.e. reason is still unknown.
 Experts also do not known the exact
reason for PARKINSON’S DISEASE but
genetic and environment factors may play
a role.
 Under normal circumstances brain
uses chemical known as
‘neurotransmitter’ to control brain cells
and communicate with each other.
 In PARKINSON’S DISEASE DOPAMINE-
a neurotransmitter plays important role.
 In most cases PARKINSON’S DISEASE
occurs when greater than 90%of the
dopaminergic neurons in the substantia
nigra die.

6.  There is also some research which
records that there is connection between
PARKINSON’S DISEASE and autoimmune
disorder.
 A person with autoimmune disorder
has high risk of having PARKINSON’S
DISEASE.
 Common examples are Rheumatoid
Arthritis- inflammation in the joints and
Multiple Sclerosis- degeneration of myelin
sheath in brain and spinal cord region and
disruption of nerve signals.
In patients with autoimmune disorder,
autoactive T cells attack misfolded forms
of alpha-synuclein which clump together
to form Lewy bodies leading to neuro-
degeneration, more precisely progressive
loss of dopamine producing neurons.
 It also may causes due to toxic
chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides,
solvents, etc.

7.  There are also secondary or acquired
cause which include drugs, toxin, stroke,
brain injury, boxer’s brain.


Low amount of
dopamine production
Connection with
autoimmune disorder
•Rheumatoid arthritis
•Multiple sclerosis
Toxic chemicals like
herbicides,pesticides
Secondary or
acquired cause
90% Idiopathic
•reasons still unknown

8.  There are some early signs related to
PARKINSON’S DISEASE:-
I. Decreased blinking
II. Decreased facial expression
III. Decreased smell sensitivity

SYMPTOMS
There are four cardinal motor
symptoms:-
1. Tremor- It is also known as shaking and
it is rhythmic. Particularly tremors
associated with PARKINSON’S DISEASE
has a rhythmic back and forth motion;
often begin in a person’s hand.
2. Rigidity- Involuntary increase in
muscle tone causes muscle stiffness i.e.
stiffness to movement. It is basically due

9. to disruption in basal ganglia and
decreased dopamine.
3. Bradykinesia- It is a core symptom. It
does not affect strength of muscle
instead it affect how brain communicate
with them. It slow down some
spontaneous and autonomic movement.
It can make quick task slow. Person’s
face may be less expressive.
4. Postural instability- It is related to
balance problems and change in
posture. It increases risk of fall.
NOTE:- These four symptoms are not
exclusive to PARKINSON’S DISEASE and can
occur in many other conditions.

There are also some non-motor
symptoms of PARKINSON’S DISEASE:-
1. Mental and emotional health problem

10. 2. Depression
3. Dementia
4. Insomnia
5. Anxiety
6. Vision problem
7. Problem with speech
8. Urinary problem and constipation
9. Fatigue

WhAt CAUSES PARKINSON’S SymPtOmS ?
Symptoms of PARKINSON’S DISEASE
develop when nerve cells in the area of brain
that control movement become damaged or
die.
When these are healthy they produce
neurotransmitter dopamine but once they got
damaged the brain does not get enough
dopamine and so does the motor symptoms
develop.

11. There is one more neurotransmitter
produced in brainstem which is nor-
epinephrine- the main chemical messenger to
the part of nervous system that control many
autonomic function of the body such as pulse
or blood pressure.
When there is loss of nerve ending which
produce nor-epinephrine, it develop non-
motor symptoms.

STAGES OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE
Stage 1:- Symptoms are not severe i.e. a
person can perform everyday task with
minimal difficulty.
Stage 2:- Symptoms like tremors,
trembling, and stiffness become more
noticeable. Problem with walking, speech and
posture also there.

12. Stage 3:- All symptoms of stage 2 will be
present in stage 3. Beside those there will be
also problem in balance, slow movement.
Stage 4:- Independent living is not usually
possible.
Stage 5:- The condition worsen and the
person develop problem like dementia-
difficulty in thinking, memory, interfering with
life. There is reduced response to medication
also.

Brain dopamine system
Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter
made in our brain. It is produced in two areas of
mid-brain- ventral tegmental area and substantia
nigra. When there is reward and movement
regulation in brain dopamine produced from
ventral tegmental area and when there is motor
function it produce by substantia nigra. Dopamine
producing neuron release dopamine into brain’s

13. synapse. From there dopamine bind to specific
receptor on other neuron. This binding triggers an
electrical signal in the post-synaptic neuron which
can excite or inhibit its activity.
Dopamine have dual function. Dopamine act
as chemical messenger as well as hormone. As a
neurohormone it is released by hypothalamus in
brain. Being a hormone it travel through blood
stream to have effects on other parts of the body.
It influence cardiovascular and metabolic function
as hormone.
As a neurotransmitter dopamine involved in
movement, memory, reward, motivation,
learning, cognition.


BRAIN REGION AFFECTED IN PD
 PD primarily affect basal ganglia, a
group of nerve cells cluster deep within
the brain that control movement.

14.  Substantia Nigra, which is damaged in
PD is a part of basal ganglia.
 The core structures of basal ganglia
are part of forebrain telencephalon.
 The basal ganglia consists of striatum
and pallidus. These structure form
corpus striatum, a critical part of
extrapyramidal system that regulate
motor activity, tone, posture,
motivation, reward, etc.
 The direct pathway of basal ganglia
facilitate movement.
 Activation of the direct pathway
results in a focused action being initiated
and performed often for an extended
period of time.
 Direct pathway is important for
initiating movements.
 So an inactive direct pathway will lead
to few movements being performed as
in PD.
 Also the substantia nigra is part of
midbrain while the striatum is part of
telencephalon (forebrain). Loss of these

15. neurons leads to reduced activity of
direct pathway, leading to poverty of
movements.
 As PD progress it affect other regions
of brain such as frontal lobe, midbrain,
temporal lobe, limbic system,
hippocampus, and many more.
mANAGEMENT/treatment

As accurate cause of PD is not known yet, its cure
is also not known.
Medical professionals somehow manage to cure
but treatment is also focuses on alleviating symptoms
only.
Some management strategies include:-
 Medication

16.  LEVODOPA- It is the most effective and
commonly prescribed drug in P.D. It is
an immediate precursor for dopamine
synthesis. It must be taken with
CARBIDOPA otherwise levodopa will
broke down in blood stream and brain
would not get enough of dopamine.
Tremors respond to levodopa
treatment. It is typically taken as tablet
or liquid.
It manages the symptoms of
P.D. but does not slow down or stop
disease from progressing.
 DOPAMINE AGONISTS- These are
drugs that activate certain type of cells
in brain or activate dopamine
receptor. It is alternative or
complement to levodopa therapy.
 MAO-B INHIBITOR- It increases the
amount of dopamine in basal ganglia
by inhibiting the activity of
monoamine oxidase B, an enzyme that
break down dopamine in the brain.

17.  Physical therapy- It uses exercises to
manage motor function, improve balance,
strength and enhance functional mobility.
 Occupational therapy- It help people with
P.D. to manage symptoms and live
independent by teaching strategies to adapt
daily challenges.
 Psychological therapy- It primarily help in
managing non motor symptoms like anxiety,
depression. It help to restructure negative
thought patterns.
 Interpersonal therapy- It involves family
member to improve support system.

18. Thank you note
From this course, till now, I went through a journey of
brain where I learnt hoe we memorise (remember),
speak, give reaction and what not, all the possible
things we do in our everyday life.
I found a lot of answers from this course and even
though I am not a student of psychology my curiosity
made me opt this course. This course has taught me
that neurobiology is present everywhere. It is present
even if we are doing nothing.
I also learn some of the neurological disorder and how
it affect the whole body functioning. Professor Peggy
Mason explained each part of brain very well. I am glad
that I opted this
course.






THANK YOU COURSERA !!