Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
The month of April is globally recognized asParkinson’s Disease Awareness Month to raise awareness and educate the masses about Parkinson disease.
It aims to provide the ones affected with adequate support, encouraging research for better treatments and a possible cure.
The month is dedicated to fostering the public with basic knowledge such as symptoms, and challenges faced by the affected and their families.
It also educates us about the advancements of Parkinson’s care and emphasizes on the benefits of early detection.
Origin of Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month
Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month began with World Parkinson’s Day on April 11, 1997.
It was launched by Parkinson’s Europe (formerly EPDA) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The date honors Dr. James Parkinson, who first described the disease in 1817.
The first event introduced the Parkinson’s Europe Charter, uniting people with Parkinson’s, their families, and healthcare professionals to raise awareness.
The initiative gained global support from figures like Princess Diana, Pope John Paul II, and Muhammad Ali, leading to the WHO’s Working Group on Parkinson’s Disease and the Global Declaration on Parkinson’s Disease in 2003.
Today, April is dedicated to Parkinson’s awareness, promoting education, research, and better care worldwide.
The Red Tulip
The red tulip with a white fringe is the official symbol of Parkinson’s disease. It was introduced as the international symbol on April 11, 2005, during the 9th World Parkinson’s Disease Day Conference in Luxembourg. Chosen as a symbol of hope for those with Parkinson’s, the tulip was developed by Dutch horticulturist J.W.S. Van der Wereld, who had Parkinson’s himself. He named it the ‘Dr. James Parkinson’ tulip to honor the English surgeon who first described the disease in 1812.
What is Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects balance, movement, and coordination.
It is defined by dying neurons or nerve cells in the brain that secrets a chemical called dopamine that is crucial for controlling movement.
Symptoms
- Sudden tremors like trembling of arms, hands, jaw, or legs.
- Rigid and stiff muscles with sudden loss of flexibility.
- Bradykinesia or slow movements and reduced mobility.
- Difficulty maintaining balance or coordinating movements.
- Sudden memory loss, confusion and difficult with solving problems.
- Severe mood swings.
- Insomnia, extreme fatigue and vivid dreams.
- Urinary incontinence, constipation, low blood pressure upon standing.
Stages of Parkinson's Disease
- Preclinical stage where no noticeable symptoms are shown, but the changes in brain are in process.
- Mild symptoms such as tremors and inflexibility shown in the early stage.
- In the moderate stage, symptoms take a devastating turn and starts affecting daily life.
- The advanced stage causes significant disability causing them to depend on caregivers.
Risk Factors
- Genetic mutations and family history.
- Exposure to heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxins.
- More prone to PD with age especially after the age of 60.
- It is said men are more prone to PD.
Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease as of now, early diagnosis and treatment can benefit severely and improve the quality of life while simultaneously slowing down the progression of the disease.
History of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s Disease and its history traces back centuries with descriptions found in ancient texts.
Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine mentioned symptoms like stiffness and tremors.
Popular historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci and Galen also experienced similar conditions.
But, the first proper medical description of Parkinson’s disease appeared in 1817.
James Parkinson, an English physician published an Essay on the Shaking Palsy.
In this essay, he mentioned six patients, three of whom he observed on the streets near Hoxton Square in London.
Parkinson identified key symptoms such as tremors, instability, and movement difficulties, though he mistakenly believed the disease was caused by spinal cord trauma.
For many years, there was little progress in understanding Parkinson’s disease.
That changed in 1861 when Jean-Martin Charcot, a French neurologist known as the “father of neurology,” expanded on James Parkinson’s work. Charcot identified bradykinesia (slowness of movement) as a key symptom and formally named the disease after Parkinson in 1877.
This was important because not all patients experienced tremors, as the earlier term “shaking palsy” suggested.
Other neurologists who contributed to the understanding of Parkinson’s include Armand Trousseau, William Gowers, Samuel Kinnier Wilson, and Wilhelm Erb.
The 20th century brought major breakthroughs in understanding Parkinson’s disease. In 1912, Frederic Lewy discovered abnormal protein clumps in the brains of Parkinson’s patients, later named Lewy bodies.
In 1919, Konstantin Tretiakoff identified the substantia nigra as the main brain region affected, a finding confirmed by Rolf Hassler in 1938.
In the 1950s, Arvid Carlsson and Oleh Hornykiewicz linked the disease to low dopamine levels, leading to new treatment possibilities.
For years, treatment options were limited to certain drugs and surgery.
A major breakthrough came in 1967 when levodopa (L-DOPA), first synthesized in 1911 by Casimir Funk, was introduced as an effective medication.
By the late 1980s, deep brain stimulation (DBS), pioneered by Alim Louis Benabid in France, offered relief to patients with severe symptoms.
In 1997, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discovered the first genetic link to Parkinson’s, identifying the SNCA gene, which plays a key role in Lewy bodies.
This discovery helped scientists better understand the disease and develop new treatments.
From ancient medical texts to modern genetic research, knowledge of Parkinson’s has come a long way.
While there is still no cure, ongoing research offers hope for better treatments and, one day, a way to stop the disease entirely.
Show Your Support In The Movement
The best way to support this movement and participate is by educating yourself and people around you about the disease.
Organizations like the Parkinson’s Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation offer valuable resources.
Several organizations host charity events like walks, marathons, and community events to raise donation for research and services.
Show support by wearing blue, the official color of Parkinson’s awareness. Some also associate gray or silver with the cause. Wearing a blue ribbon or clothing can start conversations and raise awareness.
Advocate for increased funding to improve research, treatments, and healthcare resources. Offer emotional support to those with Parkinson’s and acknowledge caregivers’ vital role.
Stay informed on research advancements like gene therapy, stem cell treatments, and deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Every effort raising awareness, donating, or participating in events, brings us closer to better treatments and a cure.
