Parkinson’s Disease

6 Pages 1565 Words

ons that are not fully understo! od, nerve cells in the part of the brain that produce dopamine, the substantia nigra, begin to decrease in number. Parkinson’s disease is caused by progressive deterioration of the nerve cells of the part of the brain that controls muscle movement. Dopamine, which is one of the substances used by cells to transmit impulses (transmitters), is normally produced in this area. Deterioration of this area of the brain reduces the amount of dopamine available to the body. Insufficient dopamine disturbs the balance between dopamine and other transmitters, acetylcholine. Without dopamine, the nerve cells cannot properly transmit messages, and this results in the loss of muscle function (Yahoo. Health). The exact reason that the cell of the brain deteriorates is unknown. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function. In addition to the loss of muscle control, some patients are affected emotionally, yet because they differ in age and phys! ical condition; it is difficult to pinpoint any specific prob...