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Parkinson’s Superwalk
Dates: September 11 and September 12, 2010
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Date: October 7, 2010
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About Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the portion of the brain called the Substantia nigra that manufactures
a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, called dopamine. Dopamine allows nerve impulses to travel smoothly from one nerve cell to
another. The nerve cells in turn, transmit messages to the muscles. The reduced level of dopamine results in the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is clinically characterized by the following motor symptoms:
- Resting tremor (shaking back and forth when the limb is relaxed).
- Bradykinesia (slowness of movement).
- Muscle stiffness or rigidity (resistance of the limb to passive movement).
- Difficulty with walking and impaired balance.
Other motor symptoms symptoms include:
- Micrographia (smaller handwriting)
- Hypophonia (softening of the voice)
- Hypomimia (mask-like face with little expression)
- Shuffling gait
- Freezing (temporary loss of movement)
- Dystonia (sustained contraction of muscles)
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Stooped posture
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Constipation
- Excessive sweating
- Saliva control difficulties
- Sleep disturbance
- Bladder dysfunction
- Sleep disturbances
- Memory problems
Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Psychosis
- Dementia
- Fatigue
- Pain