Participants 396
Lesson Progress
0% Complete
Motor Symptoms
- Bradykinesia: A hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), characterized by slowness of movement.
- Muscular Rigidity: Stiffness in the muscles.
- Rest Tremor: Shaking of limbs at rest, often starting in one hand.
- Postural Instability: Poor balance and coordination, usually occurring in later stages.
Characteristics of Motor Symptoms
- Unilateral Onset: Symptoms typically begin on one side of the body, with persistent asymmetry throughout the disease course.
- Two Major Subtypes:
- Tremor-Dominant PD: Characterized primarily by tremor with less pronounced other motor symptoms.
- Non-Tremor-Dominant PD: Includes akinetic-rigid syndrome and postural instability gait disorder (PIGD), often associated with a faster progression and more functional disability.
Non-Motor Symptoms
- Prevalent in 90% of Patients: Non-motor symptoms are common and usually do not respond well to dopaminergic therapy.
- Mood Disorders and Constipation: These conditions almost double the risk of developing PD in later years.
- Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD): High risk for developing PD, with an average latency of 12-14 years between the onset of RBD and Parkinsonian motor symptoms.
- Autonomic Symptoms: Including urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia, and urge incontinence. These symptoms are more prevalent and appear earlier in Multisystem Atrophy (MSA) compared to PD.
- Painful Sensory Symptoms: Experienced by two-thirds of PD patients, likely due to abnormal nociceptive processing.
- Increased Risk for Dementia: Up to 60% of PD patients develop dementia within 12 years of diagnosis.
- Hyposmia: Loss of smell occurs in about 90% of patients in early stages and may precede motor symptoms by several years. It can help in differentiating PD from other parkinsonian syndromes.
Common Pitfalls and Misdiagnoses
- Misinterpretation of Early Symptoms: Non-motor symptoms like mood disorders or hyposmia may be overlooked or misattributed to other causes.
- Differentiating from Other Parkinsonian Syndromes: Misdiagnosing PD as another parkinsonian syndrome due to similar presenting symptoms, especially in the early stages.
- Overlooking Non-Motor Symptoms: Given their subtlety and varied nature, non-motor symptoms can be easily missed in the initial assessment.
Clinical Insights
- Early recognition of non-motor symptoms is crucial for a timely and accurate diagnosis.
- Understanding the diversity of symptoms and their progression is essential for clinicians to differentiate PD from similar disorders.
- Continual monitoring of both motor and non-motor symptoms is necessary to adapt treatment strategies effectively and improve patient outcomes.