A technique of inserting and manipulating ultra-fine needles into "acupuncture points" on the body with the aim of restoring health and well-being.
See section on acupuncture.
A neurotransmitter that sends messages between nerve cells or muscles and nerve cells.
A neurotransmitter that sends messages between nerve cells or muscles and nerve cells.
A treatment or preparation that supports the main therapy.
A sense of restlessness and a desire to move the limbs that makes people unable to sit still and can sometimes be painful. It is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease, particularly at night, and may be a side effect of the medication used to treat Parkinson’s. Akathisia can also occur as a side effect of psychotropic drugs used to treat the mind, including tranquillisers and antipsychotics.
Lack of movement.
A practice that is mainly concerned with changing movement habits in our everyday activities and thus eliminating or reducing harmful tension in our body, particularly in the head, neck and back.
See section on Alexander technique.
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease that attacks the cells, nerves and transmitters in the brain. This gradually destroys the connections between the brain cells that are essential for normal mental activity resulting in loss of cognitive function such as attention, memory, and language.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
A type of medication used to treat PD.
Substances that causes temporary loss of feeling or sensation used in medical, surgical and dental procedures to prevent pain and/or make a patient unconscious.
There are two types:
A class of older drugs that are used to treat PD. They work by reducing the amount of acetylcholine in the body and thereby facilitate dopamine cell function.
Also called antimuscarinics.
A dopamine agonist drug used to treat PD, which is usually given by injection.
Dopamine agonists have structures that are very similar to dopamine. It imitates the action of dopamine rather than replace it, in the same way Levodopa does.
An ancient practice that uses essential oils (essences from aromatic plants) to improve physical and emotional well-being.
See section on aromatherapy.
Inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling or choking on foreign matter such as food or saliva.
Loss of muscle co-ordination.
The influence of the mind on the body, whereby the positive or negative thoughts and beliefs of a person can affect physical symptoms.
The part of the brain that is responsible for the control of movement. Dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is in short supply in the brains of people with PD, is made in a section of the basal ganglia known as the substantia nigra.
Abbreviation of "Before the Common Era" corresponding to BC (Before Christ) in Christian terminology and refering to dates before the year 1.
Intended as a non-denominational dating system.
An anticolinergic used to treat PD.
This group of drugs are also known as tranquillisers and sedatives.
Benzodiazepines work by slowing down the transmission of nerve signals in the brain to central nervous system.
An anticolinergic used to treat PD.
Involuntary closure of the eyelid caused by the muscles contracting. This is often experienced as excessive blinking, intolerance to light, a burning feeling in the eye or irritation.
See section on Dystonia.
A neurotoxin used in minute doses as a treatment for muscle spasms and dystonia.
Bradykinesia describes the slow execution of movement and impaired ability to adjust the body's position.
The word bradykinesia is derived from the Greek roots: bradys (slow) and kinesis (movement).
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD.
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD.
Terms used to describe people who look after or provide support, voluntarily and without payment, to relatives, partners or friends who are ill, aged or disabled.
The word “cataract” literally means waterfall. It is when the crystalline lens of the eye clouds over and loses transparency, becoming more opaque and making it difficult to see.
Cataracts usually occur in elderly people but can also be caused by injury through inheritance.
A class of drugs used to prolong the duration of action of levodopa. They block an enzyme called catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) that breaks down levodopa. This slows the destruction of levodopa in the body.
A major part of the nervous system that includes the brain. It is responsible for coordinating all the body’s activities.
Dystonia affecting the neck muscles, which causes the head to twist to one side, forwards or occasionally backwards.
See section on Dystonia.
A treatment technique that uses chemical agents (drugs) to treat disease or illness, commonly associated with cancer treatment to kill or stop cancer cells from growing or spreading and to shrink tumors prior to surgery.
Chemotherapy is given orally or intravenously through a vein or muscle.
A term used in Chinese traditional medicine to refer to a vital life force present in everything. Practitioners believe that maintaining a good, free circulation of Chi and balancing its positive and negative aspects is necessary to ensure good health.
See podiatry.
The practice of manipulating the body joints, especially the spine, with the intention of affecting the nervous system and improving health. It is especially used to treat pain such as backaches and tension and postural problems.
A chiropractor is someone who practices chiropractic.
Disorders that cause blood clotting deficiencies, e.g. haemophilia.
A levodopa/DDI preparation used to treat PD, which is marketed as Madopar.
A levodopa/DDI preparation used to treat PD, which is marketed as Sinemet.
Brain functions related to thought processes such as as thinking, reasoning and judgement, remembering, imagining, learning, intuition, sense and perception, and understanding.
When two or more drugs are used together to treat one illness.
Non-conventional health treatments, often based on ancient systems, which many people use in addition to conventional medicine. Examples include acupuncture, the Alexander technique, aromatherapy, ayurveda, creative therapies (involving art, music, dance or drama), chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, osteopathy, Pilates, reflexology, tai chi and yoga.
See section on Complimentary Therapies.
Term used to describe the relative amount of a substance mixed with another substance, often used to describe the strength of a solution, where a substance has been disolved in a given volume of liquid or solvent.
A condition where it becomes difficult to empty faeces from the bowel or where the stool is small, hard, and difficult or painful to pass.
The ability to control the timing and process of urination and defecation (bowel movements).
A specialist nurse who advises on continence problems.
A form of levodopa that releases the drug more slowly and makes the effects of the drug last longer by slowing down its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. This makes symptom control smoother by reducing fluctuations in the levodopa levels in the blood.
CD is a rare type of parkinsonism that can affect mental processes, personality and behaviour, as well as causing parkinsonism symptoms. It tends to be asymmetrical and causes an ‘alien limb’ phenomenon, where the person’s arms or legs can seem to move without control, as if with a mind of its own. CD has some similarities with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP).
More information and support is available from the Pick’s Disease Support Group – www.pdsg.org.uk or the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP-Europe) Association – www.pspeur.org
A medical imaging technique that involves a type of X-ray where the scanner rotates around the body to produce an image of the body or brain in cross-section.
Craniosacral therapy (also called cranial osteopathy) is an holistic therapy involving gentle manipulation of the bones of the skull, the underlying meningeal membranes, and the nerve endings in the scalp to restore rhythmic flow to the craniosacral system in the body, which includes the brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, and surrounding membranes.
CranioSacral is named for the cerebrospinal fluid that flows up and down the spinal cord from the cranium (head) to the sacrum (tailbone).
The process of providing cues, prompts, hints, and other meaningful information, direction, or instruction to aid a person who is experiencing difficulties.
A treatment option for people with advanced PD. It uses one or two surgically implanted medical devices called neurostimulators, similar to cardiac pacemakers, to deliver electrical stimulation to precisely targeted areas on each side of the brain. This is commonly called deep brain stimulation. Stimulation of these areas appears to block the signals that cause the disabling motor symptoms of PD. As a result, many patients achieve greater control over their body movements.
See section on Deep Brain Stimulation.
The progressive deterioration in intellectual and cognitive abilities including impairment of memory, inability to pay attention and learn, make decisions and solve problems. This typically has an adverse effect on emotions, and learning capabilities and may affect language, personality and abstract reasoning and judgement.
Dementia is not a disease in itself, but a generic term given to a group of symptoms that characterize other diseases and conditions.
DLB shares features with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Because of its similarities with the symptoms of dementia (such as memory loss and variations in alertness and attention) it is often confused with Alzheimer’s. But about 75% of people with DLB also develop parkinsonism symptoms, in particular being susceptible to falls.
Further information and support is available from the Alzheimer’s Society – www.alzheimers.org.uk, the Pick’s Disease Support Group – www.pdsg.org.uk, and Alzheimer Europe - www.alzheimer-europe.org
A mental state of melancholia, unhappiness or sadness characterized by decreased energy, reduced interest in sex, suppressed appetite, too much sleep (sleeplessness) or sleep disturbance, a pessimistic sense of inadequacy, a despondent lack of activity, despair, and discouragement.
A condition in which there is an increase in frequency, liquidity and weight of stools associated with urgency.
Severe or prolonged diarrhoea may lead to excess losses of fluid, salts and nutrients in the faeces.
An expert who advises on a healthy diet and any other specific dietary needs. He or she can also explain how diet can help symptoms.
Dizziness or lightheadness.
A substance that increases the amount of urine passed.
Drugs that are given with levodopa (often in the same tablet) to improve its action, reduce the dose needed, and limit side effects. The DDI used in co-careldopa (Sinemet) is carbidopa and the DDI in co-beneldopa (Madopar) is benserazide.
A neurotransmitter produced in the substantia nigra, which forms part of the basal gangia in the brain. It sends messages from the brain to other parts of the body and has a major role in the control of movement. There is a shortage of dopamine in the brains of people with PD.
A class of drugs that work by stimulating the parts of the brain (know as dopamine receptors) where dopamine works. Unlike levodopa, they don’t need to be converted by the brain cells first. They may be given as a first treatment to delay the need for levodopa or used in combination with levodopa to treat the side effects caused by long-term treatment.
A general name given to drugs that work by increasing the level of dopamine.
Some people develop parkinsonism after they have taken certain medications and people with Parkinson’s disease may also find their symptoms worsen when they are treated with these drugs. This is known as drug-induced parkinsonism. The drugs involved are generally those that block the action of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is depleted in the brains of people with PD. These drugs include: antipsychotic/neuroleptic medication used to treat schizophrenia and other psychiatric problems, prochlorperazine (Stemetil) used to treat dizziness and nausea, and Metoclopromide (Maxolon) used to treat nausea and indigestion.
More information and support is available from the Parkinson’s Disease Society – www.parkinsons.org.uk
Difficulties in pronouncing words.
Involuntary movements that tend to occur in people who have had PD for some years as a side effect of long-term use of PD medication.
Dysphagia is the medical term that refers to any kind of difficulty, discomfort or pain when swallowing. The word dysphagia is derived from the Greek roots dys (with difficulty) and phagia (to eat).
Difficulties in understanding language or being able to express oneself, often because of brain damage.
Involuntary sustained muscle contractions causing abnormal movements and postures.
See section on Dystonia.
When the effects of the drug do not seem to last until the next dose is due.
The ability of a treatment to produce the desired results, i.e. how effective a medication or other treatment is.
Ekbom Syndrome is more commonly known as "restless legs" or RLS.
The name endorphin, is derived from "endogenous morphine", which literally means "morphine produced naturally in the body". Endorphins are natural hormone-like substances produced by the body that function as natural painkillers.
A COMT inhibitor used to treat PD.
An essential oil is an aromatic liquid that has been extracted from a single botanical source by distillation or expression (squeezing). There are over 400 essential oils extracted from plants all over the world – some of the most popular include chamomile, lavender, rosemary and tea tree. These natural plant oils can be applied in a variety of ways:
ET is a common neurological condition, often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s. It’s cause is unknown, but can run in families, resulting in fast, rhythmic trembling in the hands, head, legs, trunk or voice. Whilst the tremors experienced by people with Parkinson’s are apparent during rest periods, ET is an ‘action’ tremor - it is more pronounced when the affected part of the body is being used, for example in the hands when writing.
More information and support is available from the National Tremor Foundation – www.tremor.org.uk
In deep brain stimulation, an insulated wire placed under the scalp that connects to the lead and runs behind the ear, down the neck and into the chest below the collar-bone where it connects to the neurostimulator.
Part of the nervous system that extends from the cortex to the medulla in the brain, from which emerge descending spinal pathways that influence voluntary motor activity throughout the body.
A condition marked by extreme tiredness, inability to function due lack of energy and a general state of lethargy, usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness, sleepiness, or irritability. Fatigue may be acute or chronic and be both physical and mental.
See section on fatigue.
From the latin festino, meaning to hasten, festination is an involuntary shortening of stride and quickening of steps as if hurrying forward to keep balance. This appears as shuffling and hesitant steps when walking.
Dystonia affecting only one part of the body such as the hands.
See section on Dystonia.
A symptom of advanced PD where the person becomes ‘glued’ to the spot for a few seconds or minutes before being able to walk.
See section on Freezing.
A surgeon who specialises in treating disorders of central nervous system function using stereotactic techniques.
Describes the active ingredient it contains. For example levodopa.
An approach to treating medical conditions currently being researched that involves using genes as drugs.
A nerve growth factor that helps develop and control several types of nerve cells, including those that produce dopamine. Used in gene therapy and brain infusion surgery to treat Parkinson’s.
Part of the brain that is one of the target sites for deep brain stimulation and lesioning.
A symptom that can be produced by PD or the medications used to treat it. They cause people to believe they are seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not really there.
Heartburn or pyrosis is a form of indigestion. It is usually felt as a pain behind the breastbone (in the front of your chest, over the heart). The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw.
Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart, even though pain is felt in this area. People who get very painful heartburn sometimes think they are having a heart attack. Heartburn occurs when the acid contents of the stomach pass backwards up into the food pipe (called the gullet or oesophagus). This is also known as stomach acid reflux.
Most people have stomach acid reflux at some point in their lives, either as heartburn or acid regurgitation.
Further information on heartburn can be found at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleId=191 and www.heartburnalliance.org/
A complementary therapy that uses plants or plant extracts to treat illness.
See section on herbal medicine.
The treating of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of a disease.
Homeopathy (from the Greek words meaning ‘similar suffering’) is a gentle, holistic therapy that works by using natural substances to stimulate the body’s own healing power to clear itself of any imbalance, treating the whole person, not just the illness. These substances when used in larger quantities would cause symptoms that are similar to those of the illness or disease.
See section on homeopathy.
Use of water to treat illness and disability as well as promote physical and emotional well-being.
See section on hydrotherapy.
Numbness
The most common form of parkinsonism, also known as PD disease.
The inability to control accidental or involuntary leaking of urine or stool.
Sleep disorder causing inability to fall asleep or to enjoy uninterrupted sleep.
See section on Sleep
The insertion of hollow tubes into the urethra to drain urine away from the bladder. This can be done by the person themselves or a carer.
For more information, see www.incontact.org/publications/intermittent-catheters.html
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the gut in which the nerves that control the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract are too active causing it to become sensitive to food, stool, gas, and stress. It is not know what causes IBS. Symptoms can be quite variable and include abdominal pain, bloating, mucus in stools, irregular bowel habits, diarrhoea and constipation.
Also called spastic colon or mucous colitis.
Foods, compounds, or medication taken to induce bowel movements, most often taken to treat constipation.
An insulated wire with four electrodes that connects the neurostimulator implanted in the chest in deep brain stimulation to the extension placed under the scalp.
A surgical technique used to treat advanced PD. It involves making deliberate, selective damage (a lesion) within particular parts of the brain. There are currently three target sites: the thalamus (thalamotomy), the globus pallidus (pallidotomy) and the subthalamic nucleus (subthalamotomy).
The main type of drug prescribed to treat PD and has been in use since the late 1960s. The aim is to increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine cannot be directly replaced because it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier that prevents potentially harmful substances in the blood from entering the brain. Levodopa is a chemical compound that can cross this barrier and is then converted into dopamine.
See also EPDA's med info section Levodopa
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD.
Methods of focusing and controlled breathing designed to bring about a heightened state of thought or awareness.
Very small handwriting, or handwriting that decreases in size from normal to very small when written in a sentence or even in a word. This symptom is often seen in parkinsonism.
A class of drugs that are used to treat the symptoms of early PD, as well as to treat levodopa-induced motor fluctuations in more advanced disease. MAO-B inhibitors work by blocking the enzyme monoamine oxidase B which breaks down dopamine in the brain and can be used to make the dose of co-beneldopa or co-careldopa last longer or to reduce the amounts of these drugs needed. They can also help reduce the motor fluctuations that can occur as a side effect of levodopa.
Describes medication, which is prescribed on its own rather than in combination with other preparations. Some PD drugs are used in this way, usually to treat the early stages of the condition.
Movement.
Those affecting movement, e.g. tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and freezing.
Side effects of levodopa that tend to occur with long-term use (usually several years), because the body’s response to levodopa can become less reliable. These can include early wearing off; ‘on/off’ syndrome; and dyskinesias.
Collective name for conditions that affect a person’s abilities to produce and control movement. They include Parkinson’s disease, restless leg syndrome and dystonia.
A medical imaging technique involving a scan that uses radio waves to generate an image of body tissues. It is especially useful for examining the nervous system, muscles and bones.
MSA is a progressive neurological disorder that causes problems with movement, balance and the automatic functions of the body, such as bladder control, sweating and blood pressure.
More information and support is available from the Sarah Matheson Trust for Multiple System Atrophy – www.msaweb.co.uk
Medications used to treat muscular tension and pain.
Muscles being pulled or stretched causing stress and pain.
Relating to or involving the muscles and the skeleton.
The musculoskeletal system is the system of muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints and associated tissues that move the body and maintain its form.
Narcolepsy is a neurological condition characterized by a sudden recurrent uncontrollable compulsion to sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Narcolepsy is often associated with cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle control and paralysis of voluntary muscles triggered by a strong emotion such as amusement, anger or excitement), sleep paralysis (paralysis of the bodyon falling asleep or waking up), what are called hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations (vivd images or sounds on falling asleep or waking up) and automatic behaviors (such as doing something "automatically" and not remembering afterwards how one did it).
Proteins secreted by the body that regulates nerve cell development, survival and repair.
An important system in the body that involves the brain, spine and the nerves. Responsible for the body’s contacts and responses to the external world and also its internal communication.
Medical imaging techniques that enable doctors to study structures and functioning within the brain and nervous system.
Physicians specializing in the field of neurology (a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system) are called neurologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with neurological disorders. Most neurologists are trained to treat and diagnose adults with neurological disorders. Pediatric neurologists, nearly always a subspecialty of pediatrics, treat neurological disease in children. Neurologists may also be involved in clinical research, clinical trials, as well as basic research and translational research.
A pacemaker-like device that is the power source for the deep brain stimulation system. It is implanted in the patient’s chest and contains a small battery and computer chip programmed to send electrical pulses to control PD symptoms.
A surgeon who specialises in treating diseases of the nervous system.
Chemicals, such as dopamine and acetylcholine, which are made in the brain and send messages between different nerve cells.
Waking at night with the urge to urinate.
Symptoms other than those affecting movement. In PD they include depression, drooling, swallowing problems, fatigue, pain, and sleep/night-time problems.
Health profession that helps people of all ages who are disabled, ill or aged to remain independent and lead fulfilling lives at home, in work and through leisure pursuits. The methods they use include specific activities and equipment.
See section on Occupational Therapy.
Where symptoms can reappear unexpectedly and quickly, which some people describe as being like a light turning on and off.
The ‘on’ period is when the drugs are working and there is good symptom control.
The ‘off’ period is when the drugs are not working and the PD symptoms return.
This appears to be caused by an interaction between PD itself and the drug treatment.
Dystonia affecting the jaw area, tongue, mouth or one side of the face. The jaw may be pulled either open or shut, and speech and swallowing can be difficult.
See section on Dystonia.
An anticolinergic used to treat PD.
Term used to refer to conventional medical approaches, approved of and widely practiced by ‘the medical establishment’, including treatments involving medication, surgery and radiation techniques.
Osteopathy is a type of alternative medicine that focuses primarily on the manipulation of the musculoskeletal system while taking a holistic approach to health. It is not to be confused with osteopathic medicine which also uses treatments such as medication and surgery.
It is felt that manipulating the skeleton and muscles is useful in stimulating the body's ability to fight disease and in restoring health.
A condition in which the bones become progressively less dense and fragile and is the result of a number of different diseases and abnormalities.
Osteoporosis produces dry, brittle bones that may easily crack or collapse and occurs most often in post-menopausal women and elderly men.
Pallidotomy is a surgical operation where a tiny electrical probe is placed in the globus pallidus internus (GPi), one of the basal ganglia of the brain involved with the control of movement, in order to destroy a small area of brain cells. This reduces the brain activity in that area, which may help relieve movement symptoms such as tremor and stiffness (rigidity).
Before surgery, detailed brain scans using MRI are carried out to identify the precise location for treatment. The probe heats surrounding tissue by emission of radio waves and the heat destroys nearby tissue.
Until the late 1990s, pallidotomy was the most common type of PD surgery. Doctors now rarely perform pallidotomy due to risks involved. Instead, doctors use deep brain stimulation, a procedure that does not destroy brain tissue and has fewer risks than pallidotomy.
Paralanguage refers to the non-verbal elements of communication, expressed consciously or unconsciously, and used to modify meaning and convey emotion. These includes the pitch, volume, and, in some cases, intonation of speech and changes how something is said rather than what is being said.
Some examples of paralanguage include laughing, crying, whispering, snoring, sucking, sneezing, sighing, hissing, shushing and whistling.
A parasomnia is any sleep-related disorder such as sleep walking, sleep talking (somniloquy), sleep eating, sleep sex, teeth grinding, night terrors, rhythmic movement disorder, REM behaviour disorder, restless legs syndrome, as well as seizures (convulsions), respiratory dyskinesias (difficulty in performing respiratory movements), arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), and gastroesophageal reflux (food or liquid regurgitating from the stomach into the foodpipe).
Parasmnias are characterized by partial arousals during sleep or during transitions between wakefulness and sleep, meaning that the person exhibits symptoms of being both asleep and awake at the same time, and undesirable physical or verbal behaviors or experiences.
Tingling sensation
Parkinsonism is the generic name given to a group of conditions that feature the main characteristics of Parkinson’s disease: tremors, rigidity of muscles, mobility problems and bradykinesia (slowness of movement).
About 85% of people with parkinsonism have the most common form, Parkinson’s disease (also known as PD or idiopathic Parkinson’s disease). If you have this type, then this website is for you: it aims to provide all the information you need to manage life with Parkinson’s disease.
The other 15% of people with parkinsonism have different, much rarer conditions.
The muscles that stretch from the public bone at the front of the body to the tail bone in the back. They hold organs such as the bladder, bowel and uterus (in women) in place. They can be weakened by many disorders, including Parkinson’s and cause continence problems. Pelvic floor exercises can help overcome these difficulties.
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD.
A major part of the nervous system that connects the central nervous system to the body’s blood vessels, organs, muscles and glands.
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a scan that can detect chemicals in the brain. It is sometimes used to produce pictures (scans) showing the arrangement of dopamine-producing nerve cells.
A person qualified to prepare and dispense drugs, and give advice on prescribed medications.
Health profession that treats people of all ages who have physical problems that occur as a result of injury, illness or ageing. Methods they use include exercise, heat treatments, manipulation and hydrotherapy.
See section on Physiotherapy.
A complete exercise method dedicated to improving physical and mental health. It is a system of body control which, by realigning and correcting poor body posture, aims to teach people how to use their muscles more efficiently.
See section on Pilates.
A positive or therapeutic benefit resulting from the administration of a placebo to someone who believes the treatment will help and not due to any medical treatment or substance.
The care and treatment of the feet (also called chiropody).
A podiatrist (or chiropodist) deals with the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the lower limb.
The parkinsonian syndrome that is believed to have been caused by a viral illness, stimulating degeneration of the nerve cells in the substantia nigra and leading to clinical parkinsonism.
Difficulty with keeping the balance steady when standing, sitting upright or walking.
Low blood pressure caused by a change in a person’s body position. For example, when a person moves from sitting to standing quickly.
The way we stand or sit. Postural problems, especially a tendency to stoop forwards, are common features of Parkinson’s.
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD.
An anticolinergic used to treat PD.
PSP is also a progressive neurological disorder. It predominantly affects balance, but also impairs mobility, vision, speech and the ability to swallow. A particular feature that many people with PSP experience is difficulty in moving the eyes when trying to look up or down.
More information and support is available from the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP-Europe) Association – www.pspeur.org
Male sex gland wrapped round the urethra. It makes a fluid that is added to sperm in ejaculation. Prostate disorders, which are common in older men, can affect the flow of urine and lead to urological problems.
A specialist who can talk with you and your family about emotional and personal matters, and can try to help overcome emotional or psychological reactions to injury or disease.
Affecting the mind or mood or other mental processes such as behaviour and emotion.
Medicine usually used to treat malaria that is also prescribed for night-time leg cramps.
A technique used to determine the age of carbon-bearing minerals, including wood and plant remains, charcoal, bone, peat, and calcium carbonate shell.
Radiocarbon dating measures the loss of radiocarbon (carbon-14 or C14). All living things contain C14, which plants absorb from the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and animals/humans take in by eating plants or animals. When an organism dies, it stops absorbing C14 and the amount already within it starts to decay and lessen. The rate at this occurs is a known quantity – it takes 5730 years for ½ of the C14 available in the organism to decay. By comparing the amount of C14 in a dead organism to available levels in the atmosphere, it is possible to estimate when that organism died.
Also called carbon dating or carbon-14 dating.
During RBD people may act out violent dreams causing them to fall out of bed, cry, shout or even hurt their bed partner.
A MAO-B inhibitor used to treat Parkinson’s.
Reflexology is based on the principle that the anatomy of the body is reflected in miniature on reflex zones on the feet and to a lesser extent the hands, and that by using specific techniques of holds and pressures on these zones, healing is both initiated and accelerated in the corresponding area of the body.
See section on reflexology.
Stiffness of the limbs, joints or body that make movement and bending difficult.
A dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinson’s.
A dopamine agonist used to treat PD that is administered via a transdermal (skin) patch.
Dystonia that occurs as a symptom of other diseases or syndromes including Parkinson’s.
See section on Dystonia.
A MAO-B inhibitor used to treat PD.
Shiatsu Massage, also called acupressure, uses the fingertips and thumb in massage and manipulation, to apply pressure to specific points of the body to stimulate or release the 'meridians' (paths of the body) through which Chi (Qi) flows.
Shiatsu massage therapy is intended as a healing method, not just a relaxation tool.
Increased salivary flow
Dystonia affecting the vocal chords or speech muscles causing strained and difficult speaking.
See section on Dystonia.
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a scan that can produce images of the brain. In PD, it is sometimes used to detect dopamine-producing nerve cells.
Health profession who help people of all ages who have problems with communication, swallowing, drooling, eating and drinking.
Surgical techniques that involve using a head frame to keep the patient’s head still during surgery. The neurosurgeon also uses special medical imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) to map the brain and locate the surgical site.
See rigidity
The area of the brain within the basal ganglia where dopamine is produced.
Part of the brain that is one of the target sites for deep brain stimulation.
Removal of a body part of tissue through surgery.
To do with the symptoms or signs of a disease or illness.
Tai chi, t'ai chi or Tai chi chuan is a healing and fighting art which emphasises the mind/body connection, focussing on developing the ability to centre oneself and not be easily distracted. Practitioners believe the mind is the most important single factor in being able to achieve excellence in all areas of life, including health. The physical side of tai chi is a series of coordinated, rhythmical and seemingly effortless moves that aim to increase the body's movement range, aids relaxation, reduces stress and assists with good balance and posture.
See section on Tai Chi.
A surgical operation in which a specific groups of cells within the thalamus that controls some involuntary movements is surgically destroyed.
Before surgery, detailed brain scans using a CT scan or MRI are done to identify the precise location for treatment. This procedure is often poorly tolerated because of increased complication and risk, including vision and speech problems. The positive effects on tremor are immediate. Other less destructive procedures are preferred, such as subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS), since this procedure can also improve tremor and other symptoms of PD.
The part of the brain that relays sensory information to the cortex. It is one of the target sites for lesioning surgery used to treat Parkinson’s.
A solution, prepared by steeping or soaking, of medicinal substances (especially plant materials such as herbs) in alcohol, vinegar or glycerol. More commonly used these days in complementary therapy practices than conventional medicine.
A COMT inhibitor used to treat PD.
Toxins are poisonous substances produced by living cells or organisms and which are harmful to humans, animals or plants.
The name by which it is marketed. For example Sinemet or Madopar.
A medicated, adhesive patch, which releases a dose of medication through the skin into the bloodstream. Rotigotine, one of the dopamine agonists used to treat PD, is administered in this way.
Rhythmic shaking of part of the body. It is one of the main symptoms of PD, although it is not experienced by everyone.
The tube that connects the bladder to the outside of the body.
Infection involving any part of the urinary tract.
The part of the body that makes and expels urine. It includes the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra.
A form of ‘atypical parkinsonism’ in which parkinson-type symptoms are produced by one or more small strokes, rather than by a gradual loss of nerve cells.
Several small strokes in the corpus striatum in the brain (the part that receives information about position and movement) can cause parkinsonism symptoms, such as rigidity and slowness, walking with short, shuffling steps and speech problems. This is known as vascular (arteriosclerotic) parkinsonism and can be difficult to distinguish from Parkinson’s. However, stroke symptoms tend to appear suddenly and do not progress, whereas those of Parkinson’s are gradual in appearance and worsen over time.
More information and support on stroke is available from the Stroke Association – www.stroke.org.uk or the Stroke Alliance for Europe – www.safestroke.org.
Term used to describe the gradual return of symptoms that occurs at the end of a dose of levodopa. This pattern appears when a person with PD has been using levodopa for many years.
A system of personal development involving an integrated approach of mind and body control to promote health and inner peace. It usually involves gentle activities designed to maintain fitness, suppleness and muscle tone as well as to strengthen the body’s own healing powers. Breathing is important and together with meditation and visualisation exercises, is thought to help energise body and mind, reduce stress, and improve concentration and clarity.
See section on yoga.
Medically, ‘young on-set Parkinson’s disease’ describes someone who develops the symptoms of PD after the age of 21 years and before the age of 40. In other contexts the term may be used to mean people of working age (i.e. under 65). The phrase ‘early-onset Parkinson’s disease’ is also sometimes used. Although there is no difference in the treatments available to treat younger and older people with PD, management of PD in younger people has to take into account the fact that they will live with PD for much longer than most older people, their response to the medication can be much more sensitive and they are at a different stage in their lives - e.g. still earning a living, raising children, paying mortgages.
The following general medical dictionary has been used as a reference source while compiling some of this glossary.
Glossaries of terms relating to neurology and PD disease can also be found on the following website:
The Rewrite Tomorrow website contains further information on many of the subjects covered in this glossary. The PD organisation for your country should also be able to advise further. A list of European and International PD associations is available on the EPDA website, which also contains many resources and links to other useful information and organisations.
Social Worker
A trained specialist in the social, emotional and financial needs of families and patients, often helping to find support services.