Understanding Parkinson’s made easy

A book with the title, ‘Non-motor Parkinson’s Disease The Hidden Face’ was launched by Bharathi Reddy, CEO and Managing Trustee of the Vijaya Group of Hospitals over the weekend. The book is a compilation of more than 40 opinion leaders in the field of movement disorders.

Parkinson’s disease involves the malfunction and death of vital nerve cells in the brain, called neurons. It primarily affects neurons in an area of the brain. As this disease progresses, the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases, leaving a person unable to control movements normally.

Unfortunately, the cause of the disease is not known, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage its symptoms.

“The diagnosis of the Parkinson’s Disease in Asia is getting delayed compared to the European countries due to lack of awareness and facilities. The Asian countries have no proper diagnosis centers to identify the disease in the early stages.

Till now we do not have proper medicine for the disease but we can control it if we identify in the early stages. We can identify this disease with the symptoms like the tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face and rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk,” said Dr Vinod Reddy Metta, Imperial College and Hospitals, London.

“One out of 50 over the age of 80 is suffering from this disease. According to recent reports, more than one million people in the USA are living with Parkinson’s disease. This book was compiled by 40 experts on movement disorders across the world. I hope this book will help to identify the disease in early stages,” said Bharathi Reddy, CEO and Managing Trustee of the Vijaya Group of Hospitals.

Anil Kumar Reddy; president, AP and TS Diabetic Federation and Indian Medical Association, Professor Ray Chaudhuri of King’s College Hospital, London, Dr Nataliya Titova of National Research Institute, Moscow, Dr Abdul Kadir Ali Farah of King’s College Hospital, London have attended the event and shared their views on the disease.