Paralysis Agitans

Paralysis Agitans ia another name for Parkinson's Disease.

Paralysis Agitans is a progressive, neurological condition. Symptoms usually appear in people over 50 years and the risk of having the condition increases with age. However, younger people can also have Paralysis Agitans
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There are three main symptoms of Paralysis Agitans.

Tremor - which usually begins in one hand or arm and is more likely to occur when the affected part of the body is at rest and decrease when it is being used. Stress can make the tremor more noticeable. However the presence of tremor does not necessarily mean a person has Paralysis Agitans, as there are several other types and causes of tremor. Also, although most people associate Paralysis Agitans with tremor, up to 30% of people with Parkinson’s disease do not have this symptom.

Muscular rigidity or stiffness - people with Paralysis Agitans often have problems with turning round, getting out of a chair, rolling over in bed, stooped posture, and making fine finger movements, facial expressions and body language.

Bradykinesia (slowness of movement) - movements can become difficult to initiate (start), take longer to perform and lack co-ordination Other symptoms can include tiredness, depression, and difficulties with handwriting, speech, and balance.

The symptoms usually begin slowly, develop gradually, and in no particular order. Paralysis Agitans is a very individual condition and each person will have a different collection of symptoms and response to treatment. The rate at which the condition progresses, the nature and severity of symptoms is also varies in each individual.

Treatment of Paralysis Agitan

At present, there is no cure for Paralysis Agitans, but a variety of medications provide dramatic relief from the symptoms. Usually, patients are given levodopa combined with carbidopa. Carbidopa delays the conversion of levodopa into dopamine until it reaches the brain. Nerve cells can use levodopa to make dopamine and replenish the brain's dwindling supply. Although levodopa helps at least three-quarters of parkinsonian cases, not all symptoms respond equally to the drug. Bradykinesia and rigidity respond best, while tremor may be only marginally reduced. Problems with balance and other symptoms may not be alleviated at all. Anticholinergics may help control tremor and rigidity. Other drugs, such as bromocriptine, pramipexole, and ropinirole, mimic the role of dopamine in the brain, causing the neurons to react as they would to dopamine. An antiviral drug, amantadine, also appears to reduce symptoms. In May 2006, the FDA approved rasagiline to be used along with levodopa for patients with advanced Paralysis Agitans or as a single-drug treatment for early Paralysis Agitans.

In some cases, surgery may be appropriate if the disease doesn't respond to drugs. A therapy called deep brain stimulation (DBS) has now been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In DBS, electrodes are implanted into the brain and connected to a small electrical device called a pulse generator that can be externally programmed. DBS can reduce the need for levodopa and related drugs, which in turn decreases the involuntary movements called dyskinesias that are a common side effect of levodopa. It also helps to alleviate fluctuations of symptoms and to reduce tremors, slowness of movements, and gait problems. DBS requires careful programming of the stimulator device in order to work correctly.

Expected outcomes of Paralysis Agitans

Paralysis Agitans is both chronic, meaning it persists over a long period of time, and progressive, meaning its symptoms grow worse over time. Although some people become severely disabled, others experience only minor motor disruptions. Tremor is the major symptom for some patients, while for others tremor is only a minor complaint and other symptoms are more troublesome. No one can predict which symptoms will affect an individual patient, and the intensity of the symptoms also varies from person to person.