Neurotechnology Companies & Facts About Parkinson's Disease

Many neurotechnology companies make research about Parkinson's disease, this neurological disorder that causes a progressive loss of coordination and movement difficulties. The condition is named after James Parkinson, a British surgeon who published the first description of it in 1817. Tremor, abnormally sluggish reflexes (bradykinesia), and muscle rigidity are common motor signs of Parkinson's disease.

Patients frequently suffer difficulties with balance and walking, as well as aberrant muscle spasms, uncontrollable shaking, and freezing. Handwriting is excessively tiny in many patients with Parkinson's disease.

Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's include cognitive impairment, sadness, sleep issues, and hallucinations or delusions. Some patients may have uncontrollable sobbing or laughing fits that have nothing to do with their emotions.

Parkinson's disease according to neurotechnology companies is associated with the loss and malfunctioning of neurons (nerve cells) in the substantia nigra, a portion of the brain. Parkinson's disease is characterized by difficulties with dopaminergic neurons, which are brain cells that connect with other neurons by releasing a signaling substance called dopamine, also known as a neurotransmitter.

The specific biochemical processes that cause dopaminergic neurons to die and become dysfunctional in Parkinson's disease remain unknown. Environmental and genetic variables are known to play a role in whether or not someone develops Parkinson's disease.

There are several Parkinson's disease staging schemes. The Parkinson's Disease Foundation advocates for five stages:

Stage 1: Symptoms are minor and have little impact on the individual's quality of life.

Stage 2: Symptoms develop, making daily tasks more difficult and taking longer to complete.

Parkinson's disease is classified as being in stage 3 when it reaches this point. The person loses their equilibrium, moves slower, and falls are common. Symptoms make it difficult to do things like dress, eat, and clean one's teeth.

Stage 4: Symptoms have worsened to the point where the person requires assistance walking and conducting daily activities.

The fifth stage of Parkinson's disease is the most advanced. The individual is unable to walk and will require round-the-clock care.

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