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Induced Parkinson's
Induced Parkinson’s?
Can some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease be induced and can this lead to Parkinsonism? I’m asking this question of those who know the literature on biomechanics. My dominant symptom is left hand/left arm tremor. I also have stiffness in my left shoulder. In scanning my memory I recall (before diagnosis) having had what I call incipient tremor in my left arm after using an electric hedge clipper or a gas operated lawn mower. It was especially evident after using the hedge clipper. Does anyone know if this could play a role in inducing Parkinson’s? This topic may have already been covered but I don't recall it. Lloyd |
Muscular strain and muscular injury
The primary symptom of Parkinson's Disease is excessive muscle contraction.
Both muscular strain and muscular injury can cause excessive muscle contraction. Consequently both can cause the muscular symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Prolonged muscular strain can do this quite easily, but it takes quite a muscular injury to cause Parkinson's Disease symptoms. The difference between these and Parkinson's Disease is that (1) muscular strain and muscular injury will only affect the muscles that are strained or injured, (2) low dopamine levels are not necessarily involved, and (3) the symptoms will wear off when the muscles are no longer strained or injured. So could muscular strain in the past cause Parkinson's Disease now ? No, it's not possible. However, if somebody is borderline Parkinson's Disease, regular muscular strain could maintain Parkinson's Disease symptoms for years whilst the muscular strain persists. The easiset way to find out if muscular strain is causing Parkinson's Disease symptoms in any particular muscle is by ceasing virtually all use of the affected muscles for a week. If the Parkinson's Disease symptoms cease then muscular strain rather than low dopamine is the primary cause. |
Lloyd, perhaps you had an action tremor precipitated by the use of the hedge clipper. Action tremor in PD can cause weakness and bradykinesia.
http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/120/3/401 Severe injury can cause parkinsonism: Peripherally induced tremor and parkinsonism F. Cardoso and J. Jankovic Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex. OBJECTIVE: Trauma to the peripheral nervous system is a well-recognized cause of dystonia and tremor, but peripherally induced parkinsonism has not previously been documented. We seek to characterize peripherally induced tremor and parkinsonism and propose possible mechanisms for this phenomenon. DESIGN: Review of records of patients evaluated in the Movement Disorders Clinic between 1977 and 1993. In addition to dem PATIENTS: Twenty-eight patients in whom the onset of tremor, parkinsonism, or both was anatomically and temporally related to local injury. INTERVENTION: The type and site of injury were verified by history and examination of records whenever possible. Severity of tremor and parkinsonism was assessed by clinical rating scales. Three patients with tremor and parkinsonism had their striatal [18F]-fluorodopa uptake and raclopride binding measured with positron emission tomography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Response to conventional antitremor and antiparkinsonian medication was assessed by a clinical rating scale. RESULTS: Severe local injury preceded the onset of movement disorder by 47.5 +/- 74.7 days (mean +/- SD). The mean age at onset of movement disorder was 46.5 +/- 14.1 years. Tremor was present in all 28 patients, 11 of whom exhibited additional parkinsonian features. In 20 patients, the movement disorder spread beyond the original site. Possible predisposing factors were identified in 13 patients; nine had essential tremor or a family history of essential tremor. In addition to tremor, dystonia and myoclonus were evident in 13 and three patients, respectively. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy was present in six patients. Tremor did not improve with medications, and only seven patients with parkinsonism responded to therapy with levodopa. CONCLUSION: Central reorganization in response to peripheral injury may give rise to a motor disturbance, including tremor and parkinsonism. Neurology Vol. 52 No. 3, March 1995 |
A good reference article:
Pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease: From clinical neurology to basic neuroscience and back http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/c...755/HTMLSTARTW |
Thanks to ZucchiniFlower and GodFather for quick and informative replies
Lloyd |
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