Brain Transplant: An End to Parkinsonism? :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Modern Day Brain TransplantAn exterminate to Parkinsonism or the Beginning of a Greater Debate? It sometimes begins with a feeling of lethargy, being down in the dumps, or vibration (1). Maybe it begins with a twitch of the pinky finger that was not in that location before. Speech becomes more difficult and softer to the level of a whisper this is a great deal accompanied by irritability. Movements become rigid, unsteady and slow (2). A chill develops, with trembling of the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face. Later, walking is often only accomplished through unforesightful and shuffling steps, intermixed with a loss of balance and instability (3). These symptoms usually make headway until the person is incapacitated and unable to do simple tasks such as brushing their teeth, buttoning clothing, or turning newspaper pages (1). This is a description of a person living with Parkinsons affection. According to the Parkinsons Disease Foundation, in that respect are one million people living with Parkinsons nationally (1). Several public figures have also revealed their private struggles with Parkinsons including Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Janet Reno and billy Graham (1). As evidenced by the names listed, Parkinsons strikes an lay out of people, it is generally a late onset disorder, however, in some cases, such as with Michael J. Fox, Parkinsons has a young onset. Parkinsons disease is a disorder that results from the depletion of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The basal ganglia is the part of the brain responsible for movement. When 80% of the dopamine-secreting cells in a specific part of the basal ganglia, the substantia nigra, are muzzy Parkinsons symptoms develop (4). The cause for the neuropathology of Parkinsons is still unknown. Two attainable causes of Parkinsons that have been researched include environmental factors such as toxins and unsound genes (5). Treatments for the disease vary widely. The standard treatment is to prescribe levo dopa (L-dopa) (4), the precursor of dopamine to patients. This is given because dopamine itself does not cross the blood-brain barrier. The levodopa is converted to dopamine at heart the brain and is effective in improving the severity of symptoms dramatically. Unfortunately, long-term impost of levodopa causes a myriad of side effects, such as head bobbing, grimacing, antidromic movements of the trunk and limbs (2). With time, the side effects of levodopa become more dramatic than the master Parkinsons and the thus outweigh the benefits of giving the drug. Other treatments include a brain pacemaker, deep brain stimulation with electrodes, and pallidotomy (destroying a portion of the globus pallidus in the brain).