After receiving a Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis newly diagnosed individuals are often told four things: they are not alone, it is important to find a movement disorder specialist, exercise is essential, and they can live well with the disease. 

• You're Not Alone: A big community supports people with Parkinson's.

• See Your Doctor if You Change Fast: Parkinson's usually moves slowly. Quick changes need a check-up.

• Everyone is Different: Symptoms, progression, and treatment responses vary widely from person to person.

• Find a Specialist: A Movement Disorder Specialist (MDS) knows the most about PD.

• Exercise is Key: It's one of the best ways to manage symptoms and stay healthy.

• You Can Live Well: A diagnosis doesn't stop you from enjoying a full life.

• Resource: Check out the book Every Victory Counts from the Davis Phinney Foundation.

Click here to order your manual 

https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/every-victory-counts-manual/#evcorder

YOU'LL DISCOVER

• Essential information about Parkinson’s plus dozens of topics that are frequently overlooked but critical to helping you live well

• Insights from more than 50 Parkinson’s experts, including physicians, therapists, and scientists who share cutting edge research, strategies, and ideas for living well with Parkinson’s

• Advice and inspiration from dozens of people living well with Parkinson’s today

• In-depth information about exercise, nutrition, emotional health, medication, therapies, and more

The exact cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Genetic Factors:

• Certain gene mutations have been linked to an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

• These mutations may affect the production or function of a protein called alpha-synuclein, which is thought to play a role in the disease.

Environmental Factors:

• Exposure to certain toxins, such as pesticides and herbicides, has been associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.

• Head trauma and other brain injuries may also be contributing factors.

Other Risk Factors:

• Age: The risk of Parkinson's disease increases with age.

• Sex: Men are more likely to develop the disease than women.

• Family history: Having a close relative with Parkinson's disease increases the risk.

Davis Phinney Foundation Newly diagnosed resources

https://davisphinneyfoundation.org/resources/parkinsons-newly-diagnosed-resources/

M. J. Fox  Parkinson's 101

https://www.michaeljfox.org/parkinsons-101

APDA - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects predominately dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra.

Symptoms generally develop slowly over years. The progression of symptoms is often a bit different from one person to another due to the diversity of the disease.

https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/what-is-parkinsons

Parkinson's disease (PD) research aims to understand the causes, mechanisms, and potential treatments for this neurodegenerative disorder.

Areas of Research:

• Genetics: Identifying genetic mutations that increase the risk of PD.

• Neurobiology: Studying the changes in brain cells and pathways that occur in PD.

• Cell Death: Investigating why dopamine-producing neurons die in PD.

• Oxidative Stress: Examining the role of oxidative damage in the disease process.

• Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Exploring how impaired mitochondrial function contributes to PD.

• Stem Cell Therapy: Using stem cells to replace damaged neurons or to protect existing ones.

• Gene Therapy: Developing genetic interventions to stop or slow the progression of PD.

• Drug Discovery: Identifying and testing new medications to improve symptoms and potentially halt disease progression.

Leading Research Institutions: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Parkinson's Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The most common Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Remember that although these are the typical symptoms, they can vary greatly from individual to individual—both in terms of their intensity and how they progress. Motor symptoms generally involve movement, while non-motor symptoms do not.

Read about them [HERE]

A Parkinson's Foundation video of dystonia (abnormality of muscle tone) v. dyskinesia (abnormality of movement) is here. 

Key differences between dyskinesia and dystonia are also explained in this HealthCentral story. 

Motor symptoms — which means movement-related symptoms — of Parkinson’s disease include the following:

• Slowed movements (bradykinesia). 

• Tremor while muscles are at rest.

• Rigidity or stiffness.

• Unstable posture or walking gait.

Additional motor symptoms can include:

• Blinking less often than usual.

• Cramped or small handwriting. 

• Drooling.

• Mask-like facial expression

• Trouble swallowing (dysphagia). 

• Unusually soft speaking voice (hypophonia).

Sleep Disturbances in Parkinson’s Disease

People with Parkinson’s Disease frequently experience a range of sleep problems that differ from those typical in the general population. Common disturbances include:

• Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

• REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD): Acting out dreams during REM sleep due to loss of normal muscle paralysis, which can cause injury to self or bed partner.

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): Urge to move legs often at night, which disturbs sleep.

• Excessive daytime sleepiness: Feeling very sleepy during the day, sometimes to the point of sudden sleep attacks.

• Sleep fragmentation: Frequent waking and disrupted sleep architecture.

These disturbances reduce sleep quality, leading to fatigue and worsening other PD symptoms such as cognitive difficulties and mood changes.

Causes and Mechanisms

Sleep dysfunction arises from several PD-related factors:

• Neurodegeneration in brainstem and hypothalamic areas critical for sleep regulation.

• Effects of dopaminergic and other PD medications can disrupt sleep.

• Motor symptoms such as rigidity and tremor interfering with comfortable sleep.

• Psychiatric symptoms associated with PD like anxiety and depression exacerbate sleep problems.

Approaches to Improve Sleep in Parkinson’s

• Medication Review: Adjustments to PD and other medications can improve sleep quality.

• Behavioral Techniques: Sleep hygiene education, regular sleep schedules, reducing daytime naps.

• Treatment of Specific Disorders: For example, melatonin or clonazepam for REM sleep behavior disorder.

• Light therapy: Shown to improve circadian rhythms and sleep quality in PD.

• Exercise: Regular physical activity helps improve sleep and overall motor symptoms.

• Addressing co-morbidities: Treating sleep apnea, restless legs, or mood disorders.

Health Disclaimer

Sleep disturbances in people with Parkinson’s Disease are complex and individual. Please consult a neurologist or sleep specialist experienced in PD for diagnostic assessments and tailored treatment plans.

Sources

1. Parkinson's Disease: Sleep Disturbances and Fatigue | Sleep Foundation

2. Classification of sleep stages from EEG, EOG and EMG signals by SSNet (ArXiv)

3. End-to-End Automatic Sleep Stage Classification Using Spectral-Temporal Sleep Features (ArXiv)