Hitting while sleeping A first symptom of Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease: early detection of warning signs

04/13/2015

After Alzheimer's Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurogenic disease in this country. Millions of people worldwide are suffering from the incurable disease. Thanks to medical progress, however, the symptoms can now be alleviated. Important is an early diagnosis. Sleep disorders, among others, can be harbingers of Parkinson's.

Incurable neurodegenerative disease
More than four million people worldwide suffer from the neurodegenerative disease Parkinson's disease. According to estimates, up to 400,000 people in Germany are said to be affected. In the past year, the disease was often discussed in the media after the American actor Robin Williams killed himself - he suffered from Parkinson's. Although the disease is not curable, despite all medical advances, but can now alleviate the symptoms. Important is the early diagnosis. This was pointed out by health experts on the occasion of World Parkinson's Day on 11 April.

First signs of illness show up to 20 years before
Already up to ten to 20 years before the onset of Parkinson's shows signs for it. Even though sufferers can not yet benefit from an early diagnosis, they help research. „By early diagnosis, we receive valuable information on the pathogenesis and thus for new therapeutic approaches“, explained Professor Heinz Reichmann of the German Society of Neurology (DGN) „pharmazeutische-zeitung.de“. „The early symptoms are only an indication of an increased risk - but there is neither a reliable criterion that indicates with certainty that a person will develop Parkinson's over the next few years, nor drugs that can prevent their development“, explained Professor Daniela Berg of the German Parkinson Society (DPG).

Deterioration of the sense of smell
Early signs of the disease include worsening of the sense of smell, persistent constipation, urinary and erectile dysfunction problems, dizziness, depression, general fatigue, poor memory, sweating, sleep disorders, and inner restlessness. A reliable diagnosis, however, is not possible because these early symptoms occur in many diseases. Later symptoms include a slowing of movement and action as well as pain and tension on the musculoskeletal system, especially neck tension. The face becomes a kind of mask face. In addition, balance disorders occur and the typical trembling, which begins only on one side of the body and usually in the hand or in the arm.

Aggressive dreams with screams
Even aggressive dreams, which are partly associated with screaming, are among the early symptoms. „Violent dreams in the REM sleep phase, in which the sleeper is pronounced motor active, can be an early warning signal“, Professor Wolfgang Oertel, holder of the Hertie Senior Research Professorship at the Department of Neurology of the University Hospital Marburg, said a report from „n-tv.de“ According. In so-called REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), those affected beat and kick during fear-making dreams, screaming and defending themselves against virtual attackers. Self-injury and foreign injuries often occur. „Patients with these symptoms develop Parkinson's disease in more than 85 percent of cases within 15 to 20 years“, so Oertel.

Regular movement against Parkinson's
Only in rare cases does Parkinson's disease occur before the age of 40. The disease usually begins between the ages of 50 and 79, with people being most frequently affected between the late 50s and early 60s. During the illness, nerve cells die in a certain brain area, which restricts the transmission of the messenger substance dopamine, which is responsible for important physical and mental mechanisms. To date, no clear cause for Parkinson's is proven. But there are indications that the disease could be inherited in rare cases. Another possible cause is the increased exposure to environmental toxins such as pesticides or heavy metals. A role also seems to play the movement behavior. After several years of research, Swedish researchers have found that even moderate exercise of six hours a week can reduce Parkinson's risk by as much as 45 percent.

Doctors can only treat symptoms of the disease
So far, Parkinson's physicians can only treat the symptoms, requiring individualized treatment that does not focus solely on the main symptoms. Therefore, researchers worldwide are keen to recognize Parkinson's disease as early as possible in order to be able to intervene before the death of the nerve cells. Sleep disorders play a superordinate role. „When new therapies are to be tested, REM sleep disorder is currently recognized internationally as the most specific and appropriate early sign of Parkinson's disease“, explained Oertel, who initiated appropriate studies. (Ad)