Parkinson's Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Assessment, and Treatment

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects neurons in a specific area of the brain called the substantia nigra. Symptoms generally develop slowly over several years. The progression of symptoms is often quite different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rated complications from PD as the 14th cause of death in the United States. Although there is no cure, treatment options can include medications, surgeries, physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy. While Parkinson's itself is not fatal, disease complications can be serious. It is possible to have a good to great quality of life while living with PD. The first step to living well with Parkinson's disease is to understand the nature of the disease and its progression. As rehabilitation professionals, it is important for us to understand the causes of PD, early signs of PD, movement and non-movement symptoms, and the various diagnosis and treatment options for those livingwith PD.

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech-Language Pathologists

Highlights

• Causes and symptoms of Parkinson's disease and how they can affect aspects of diagnosis and treatment within your specific discipline
• Diagnostic and therapeutic options when designing functional treatment plans for patients with Parkinson's disease