Health Information
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Understanding This Symptom
Medical Definition
Subject Matter Expert Verified
Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to dopamine deficiency in the basal ganglia.
This results in the cardinal motor features of tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability, along with non-motor symptoms including cognitive impairment, autonomic dysfunction, and psychiatric manifestations.
Quick Facts
What Optimal Health Looks Like
Understanding how your body functions when healthy helps identify dysfunction
In a healthy dopaminergic system: (1) Substantia nigra neurons - dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta produce and store dopamine in synaptic vesicles, maintaining stable population for motor control; (2) Basal ganglia function - the nigrostriatal pathway properly regulates movement initiation and inhibition through balanced dopamine signaling to the striatum (caudate and putamen); (3) Motor cortex coordination - the thalamocortical circuits receive appropriate dopaminergic input enabling smooth, coordinated voluntary movements; (4) Autonomic regulation - normal sympathetic and parasympathetic function maintains blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion; (5) Cognitive function - dopaminergic pathways to the prefrontal cortex support executive function, working memory, and attention; (6) Sleep architecture - normal REM and non-REM sleep cycles without fragmentation.
Healthy Function
Your body is designed to maintain balance and self-regulate
How This Develops
Alpha-synuclein pathology - misfolded alpha-synuclein protein aggregates into Lewy bodies within dopaminergic neurons, causing cellular dysfunction and death in the substantia nigra; (
Mitochondrial dysfunction - complex I deficiency in dopaminergic neurons leads to ATP depletion, increased reactive oxygen species, and neuronal apoptosis; (
Neuroinflammation - activated microglia release pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-
that damage dopaminergic neurons; (
Oxidative stress - dopamine metabolism via MAO-B produces hydrogen peroxide, and reduced glutathione levels impair antioxidant defenses in dopaminergic neurons; (
Ubiquitin-proteasome system impairment - failure to degrade misfolded proteins leads to toxic protein accumulation; (
Neurotrophic factor deficiency - reduced BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) impairs neuronal survival and plasticity; (
Glial cell dysfunction - astroglial and microglial dysfunction fails to support neuronal health and clear toxic proteins; (
Spreading pathology - prion-like propagation of alpha-synuclein aggregates explains the progressive spread from brainstem to cortical regions
Understanding the mechanism helps us target the root cause rather than just treating symptoms.
What Happens If Left Untreated
Understanding the consequences helps you make informed decisions about your health
Short-Term Consequences
Days to weeks
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Time Matters
Don't wait for symptoms to worsen. Early intervention leads to better outcomes.