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Movement Disorders Defined Parkinson's Disease Parkinson’s is slowly progressive, chronic disease that is caused by a deficiency in the brain chemical dopamine. Parkinson’s is usually characterized by two or more of the following symptoms:
The cause is unknown, although new medical and surgical approaches for controlling the symptoms of the disease continue to be developed. Neurosurgical intervention may be necessary when medical management is no longer effective in symptom control. Tremor is the most common type of movement disorder and occurrence of tremor increases with age. Essential tremor, sometimes known as familial tremor, is characterized by the uncontrollable shaking of the head, jaw, hands or feet when not at rest. It is often inherited and is not associated with any other neurological symptoms. Tremors can be minimized/controlled with medications or surgery. Tic Disorders are involuntary, repeated displays of body movements or sounds that are quick, sudden, and/or uncontrollable. They can be simple, involving one muscle group, or complex, involving multiple muscle groups. Tics may last a few minutes or several hours, and are more prominent when an individual is alone or under stress. Tourette’s Chronic Motor and Vocal Tic syndromes are examples of tic disorders. Tics usually begin in early childhood, then stabilize or subside by young adulthood. Four to five percent of children have this disorder, and it may be associated with obsessive-compulsive traits or behavior disorders. Botulinum toxin injections may be effective for these traits. Dystonia is defined as involuntary, sustained muscle contractions that can cause abnormal postures, twisting, or repetitive movements in any part of the body. Dystonias include:
This type of disorder also responds well to botulinum toxin injections. |
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