Neurology Medicine

Posts Tagged ‘Parkinson’s disease’

Properties and characteristics of some naturally occurring nootropics in animals and plants to improve brain performance.

Although at first were called ” smart drugs “, the pretentiousness of this term has shifted in favor of a more technical or scientific boom” nootropics “. Within the nootropics are grouped all those substances which, in various ways, increase or improve the functions and capabilities of our brain.

These capabilities include concentration, alertness, capacity planning or solving logical problems, memory and energy available to brain processes. Many may have an effect anti-oxidant and serve to reduce the presence of free radicals in our bodies, others may maintain (or create) new neural connections. The conservation status and number of these connections are what determine the capabilities of our brain to work.

Nowadays the use of pharmaceutically prepared drugs, prescription or not, as nootropic supplements is widespread. Also used as treatments for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s , these products can be used separately or through preparations that enhance its effects.

But the medicine or the puzzles are not the only way to keep your brain alert and active, so that the same nootropics can be found naturally in many consumer products.
Reinforcing properties of tea

We can use the infusion of various types of tea to improve our brain power. Tea contains, besides his numerous minerals and salts, two key compounds, theophylline and theanine.

Theophylline is an alkaloid that helps the dilation of peripheral vessels (greater than brain stem), bronchodilation (useful for respiratory problems) and stimulates the cortical region of the brain.

Theanine is an amino acid that increases levels of serotonin and dopamine, reducing anxiety, lowering stress and promoting the production of alpha waves in the brain (greater alertness).

Additionally, the tea can sweeten with inositol , a B vitamin that reduces the effects of anxiety and that our body can produce with the intake of certain vegetables and cereals.

Some forms of walking are typical of certain neurological diseases. It is important to identify for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Walking is something you do so subconsciously . Do not think the order of the movements, or what part of the foot should be supported, or when moving an arm or the other. It’s a very complicated task, involving the whole body and almost all of the same systems.

It is therefore easy to understand the influence on the way to travel, have lots of neurological diseases.

So, identify the place , gives information about both the diagnosis and treatment planning on to do.
Types or pathological gait patterns

Antalgic gait, as its name suggests, due to pain that occurs during operation. The patient limps, to try not to carry the load. Also, range of motion is lost, at least at this stage of the step.
M. Vertigo: there is a tendency to drift, usually to the same side, during the march. The patient may fall. Also accompanied by rapid symptoms typical (nausea, vomiting, nystagmus, etc.)..
M. Sensory ataxia: caused by loss of proprioception. It results in a clumsy and irregular motion. The feeling of instability causes an increase in the base of support and the leg movements are jerky.
M. ataxia : Cerebellar by pathology. It is an uncoordinated and irregular motion, where there is also a base of support increased. It also shows that the turns are more difficult and can not walk straight.
M. in “steppage” occurs when there is a level distal paralysis of the legs, foot drop (paralysis of the muscles of the foot dorsiflexors). To avoid tripping over the foot flexes both hip and knee more. The steps are short but regular.
M. waddling, or wiggly: during the step, the hip does not support deficit stabilizes the gluteal muscles. What causes excessive swing in the hips and trunk inclination to that side.
M. paraparética (spastic): when there is an injury to the bilateral cortical pathway. Characterized by slow steps, short, with stiffness and leg extension. May even tend to cross your legs.
M. hemiplegic, when the lesion is unilateral corticospinal. Only one leg remains stiff in extension and forward, side needs to make a circular motion.
M. Propulsive: the trunk forward, advance with the body’s center of gravity. This makes up gradually accelerate, but could fall. Moreover, as aggravating risk, the steps are short, drag your feet and legs are stiff. Typical of Parkinson’s disease .
M. choreic: there are involuntary, choreic movements, which make progress is uneven, both in amplitude, placement, career. They may also appear this kind of movement in the trunk and upper limbs.
M. dystonic, although at first the march may be normal, after the first steps is transformed. Appears anomalous position of both feet, and the entire leg and even the trunk and arms.
M. apráxica : it has features that may be of other types of motion: hesitation, trouble starting, short steps, shuffling, money problems, etc..

There are more types, but perhaps these are the most frequent.

Different types of motion, require different approaches. Not only doctors but also at physical therapy, orthopedic and occupational therapy. As always looking for individualized treatment and maximum independence for the user.

The tango is a dance rhythm, rather, came from Latin America.

Parkinson’s disease: tango improves the condition of patients

In Besancon Franche-Comté association Parkinson offers tango classes for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis conducted a study on the Argentine tango.
The study conducted by researchers took place in twenty dance lessons. At a time of course, different exercises were proposed, such as stretching, balance exercises and different dance steps.

After class, researchers have noted the condition of PD patients. Indeed, patients with Parkinson’s disease have better mobility and better balance after the tango.

This syndrome is a major cause of insomnia and that, once the sufferer who is in bed, feeling a burning desire to move the legs, usually at dawn, making it impossible to sleep and rest. Some sufferers describe it as a tingling or burning that is quiet a bit with the movement, but not for long, because after a few minutes, the desire to move their legs again, repeated periods of one hour or more.

It is a neurological disorder that affects mostly people of middle age and worsens with stress.

Another symptom that patients often face is, apart from a desire to move the legs Read the rest of this entry »

‘Doctor, I come because I shake his hand. I know I have Parkinson … “That’s how many people are often directly reaching the office of a physician or a neurologist. It happens that the trembling of the hands, especially after a certain age, between 55 and 65, begins to worry.

The reality is that not all earthquakes are associated with Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects 800,000 Argentines. There are drugs, for example, which can also cause the physical symptoms and have nothing to do with the disease. Read the rest of this entry »

Psychological problems are fairly common during the illness: often the type of depression, anxiety, irritability or sometimes ideas of persecution. The intellectual impairment is rare, and it should suggest other diagnoses (see other parkinsonian syndromes). Visual hallucinations occur occasionally, but almost always after many years of evolution or in some treatments, if again we must mention other diagnoses. Read the rest of this entry »

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disease, rare before age 45, affecting 1.5% of the population over 65 years, reaching as many men as women. The fundamental lesion is the degeneration of a certain type of neurons: dopaminergic neurons.
These neurons produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter substance of the nervous system. It occurs particularly in terms of neurons responsible for controlling body movements. There in Parkinson’s disease dopamine deficiency in the brain and this is manifested by movement disorders. Read the rest of this entry »