Causes of the Parkinson’s disease - find out in UCTC

What causes the Parkinson’s disease?

Parkinson’s disease is very debilitating condition. It occurs when there is not enough dopamine in the brain, but why that happens? Causes of Parkinson s disease are not known at present. The researchers can only assume that some combination of environmental and genetic factors can be regarded as one of the potential causes of Parkinsons disease. According to statistics, 25% of patients who suffer from Parkinson’s disease have a family member with the same disorder. At present about 60,000 million of patients are added to this figure every year. Patients with Parkinson’s are usually over 60 years old but 15% of them are young.

The disorder can affect siblings that belong to the same generation or 2 generations can be affected by it. For instance, a father and a son. Among men Parkinson’s disease develops more often.

Among other potential causes of Parkinson s disease are toxins. There is a connection between exposure to carbon monoxide, manganese, cyanide, herbicides and bigger risk to develop the condition. But many patients with Parkinsons have never been exposed to them and still suffer from it. Therefore we can make logical conclusion that this can be a trigger for the development of the condition though it does not work for all.

Possible causes of Parkinsons disease can include a virus. In the beginning of the twentieth century there was a case when patients with encephalitis virus were stuck in a trancelike state. At this they were unable to speak or move. The neurologist who tried to cure people, decided to give Levodopa to them. This is the medication that is used for Parkinsons disease treatment. Levodopa helped them to recover. It made a theory about the potential connection of this virus and Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s disease can be connected with physical injuries as well. Those who stick to this opinion rely on case of Boxer Muhammad Ali. He is one of the most patients who suffered from this debilitating disorder. Unlike the majority of patients with Parkinson’s he developed the condition in younger age – when he was in forties. Though there is no clear connection but this made experts think that presumably dangerous kind of sport was to blame for the condition. Therefore we include head injury to the list of potential causes of Parkinson s disease. Probably, this is just some factor that contributes to the condition only. Its role in the development of disorder should be studied additionally.

Structural problems also belong to the causes of Parkinson s disease. Stroke, hydrocephalus (water in the brain) are disorders that may bring to a higher risk of parkinsonism.