The Dementia Series: Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease is caused by the same Lewy Body proteins found in Lewy Body Dementia (read about that in last week's post).

Symptoms: Symptoms of Parkinson's disease include shakiness/tremors, stooped posture, slow and shuffled gait, other slow movements, softer and less precise speech, and muscle stiffness.

Risk Factors: Risk factors are similar to those for Lewy Body Dementia. Age and gender are both risk factors. Males and individuals over the age of 60 are most likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Toxins such as pesticides and jet fuel exhaust are also risk factors. Pesticides are used in farming which means individuals in rural areas are at risk.

Diagnosing: Parkinson's Disease or Lewy Body Dementia are two different illnesses despite having the same causes. Individuals can be diagnosed with either or both. Usually, the primary presenting symptoms will determine the diagnosis. If someone is mostly showing physical motor symptoms they will be diagnosed with Parkinson's. If they are primarily showing cognitive issues they will receive a Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis. Short-term memory loss often presents later in these illnesses causing them to be overlooked.

Contact sports where head injuries are common can put an individual at risk for developing Parkinson's later in life.

Check back next week to learn about Frontotemporal Dementia!

If you or someone you know is struggling with or suspected to have dementia, please reach out. You can click the "Request an Appointment" button or call (504) 356-1469.