Atypical parkinsonism

• Dementia with Lewy bodies: This condition causes gradual progression of motor symptoms like those of Parkinson’s disease, along with rapidly worsening dementia, often with hallucinations. • Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP): The most noticeable effects are severe balance problems, falling, limitations in eye movement, and a surprised-appearing facial expression. • Corticobasal ganglionic degeneration (CBS): Symptoms include abnormal muscle movements of one side of the body, difficulty problem solving, and trouble using objects. • Multisystem atrophy (MSA): This rare, fatal condition causes severe dizziness and impaired balance, impaired coordination, ataxia (lack of motor control with purposeful movements), difficulty speaking, blood pressure problems, incontinence, inappropriate emotional expressions, and erectile impairment. It can progress rapidly within a few years. Causes Each type of atypical parkinsonism has its own cause. Generally, there is degeneration or damage in the basal ganglia, which is a small area in the brain that facilitates voluntary muscle movement. Most types of atypical parkinsonism also involve other areas of brain impairment, which cause the additional symptoms. • Dementia with Lewy bodies:This condition is associated with degeneration of brain cells and accumulation of Lewy bodies, a type of protein, in the • PSP: This condition is associated with degeneration of the areas in the • MSA: This is a rapidly degenerative condition in which sever...

Fact Sheets Parkinson's Disease vs. Parkinsonism What is Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. Symptoms can take years to develop, and most people live for many years with the disease. The symptoms caused by Parkinson’s include an ongoing loss of motor control (resting tremors, stiffness, slow movement, postural instability) as well as a wide range of non-motor symptoms (such as depression, loss of sense of smell, gastric problems, cognitive changes and many others). What is Parkinsonism? Parkinsonism is a general term that refers to a group of neurological disorders that cause movement problems similar to those seen in Parkinson’s disease such as tremors, slow movement and stiffness. Under the category of parkinsonism there are a number of disorders, some of which have yet to be clearly defined or named. Early in the disease process, it is often hard to know whether a person has idiopathic (meaning “of unknown origins”) Parkinson’s disease or a syndrome that mimics it. Parkinsonisms, also known as atypical Parkinson’s disease or Parkinson’s plus, represent about 10-15% of all diagnosed cases of parkinsonism. These syndromes tend to progress more rapidly than Parkinson’s, present with additional symptoms such as early falling, dementia or hallucinations, and do not respond or respond only for a short time to levodopa therapy. Following are descriptions of some of the most common Parkinson’s plu...

Many of us are familiar with Parkinson’s disease, but the term parkinsonism may not be as familiar. Parkinsonism is a term for a group of neurological conditions that cause difficulty with movement. Some of the defining symptoms of parkinsonism include: • • • • • impaired posture Other types of parkinsonism are collectively known as atypical parkinsonian disorders or Parkinson-plus syndromes. There are many types of parkinsonism that closely mimic symptoms of Parkinson’s, and diagnosis can be difficult. In this article, we look at the different types of parkinsonism and break down the symptoms and treatment of each. Parkinson’s disease is one of many types of parkinsonism. It’s caused by a loss of cells in the part of your brain that produces the neurotransmitter Parkinson’s disease and the different types of parkinsonism progress in different ways. Some may progress more rapidly than Parkinson’s disease. Others, like secondary parkinsonism, may be reversible. The conditions also respond differently to treatments. For instance, someone who has a type of parkinsonism may not respond to the drug levodopa, which is commonly used for Parkinson’s disease. It can be hard to tell the difference between types of parkinsonism. Here’s a look at some of the identified categories of parkinsonism with their typical symptoms and treatments. Types of atypical parkinsonism include: Multiple system atrophy Symptoms The initial symptoms are similar to those of Parkinson’s disease, but they ...

Parkinsonism is an umbrella term that refers to conditions with similar, movement-related effects. These conditions involve slowed movements, and other symptoms are possible depending on the condition. These conditions are usually lifelong, and most (but not all) involve deterioration of your brain. However, most are also treatable. Overview Parkinsonism can take many forms, some of them treatable. There are also some key things to do to manage a Parkinsonism-related condition. What is parkinsonism? Parkinsonism is an umbrella term that refers to brain conditions that cause slowed movements, rigidity (stiffness) and tremors. These conditions can happen for many reasons, including genetic mutations, reactions to medications and infections. What is the difference between parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease? Parkinsonism refers to several conditions — including Parkinson’s disease — that have similar symptoms and features. However, Parkinson’s disease makes up about 80% of all cases of parkinsonism, making it the most common form by far. Other conditions that fall under the term parkinsonism include Another key difference is that parkinsonism can happen for reasons that are treatable or even curable. Some of the causes of parkinsonism can also go away on their own and only need treatment for some of their symptoms. Who does it affect? Parkinsonism overall is usually an age-related disease. It’s slightly more common in people assigned male at birth than in those assigned fema...