What do Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond and
Alan Alda have in common? They are just a few of the celebrities diagnosed with
Parkinson’s Disease who increased awareness of this progressive,
neurodegenerative brain disease for which there is no known cure.
In Parkinson’s disease (PD) there is a decrease in the amount of
dopamine in the brain that helps regulate movement and emotional responses. The
average age of diagnosis is 62.
Michael J. Fox was 29 and working on his movie, “Doc Hollywood,” in
Micanopy in 1991 when he noticed a twitch in his little finger. It turned out
to be the first sign of early-onset PD. Although he did not make his diagnosis
public for several years, Fox went on in 2000 to establish the Michael J. Fox
Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, which has raised over $1 billion for
research and programs to find a cure. He has provided inspiration and
information for so many.
In January 2012 a neurologist uttered these life-changing words to me
after conducting an exam, “Mary Ann, you have early stage, mild symptom
Parkinson’s disease.” Although I had researched neurological symptoms such as
toe curling, decreased dexterity in my hand and an arm that didn’t swing, my
first fleeting thought was, “The best part of my life is over!” I was 62.
Quickly, I started to develop a more positive mindset. I was the same
person I had been and had much about life to continue to enjoy. I had several
close friends/colleagues who had received this diagnosis within a two-year
period.
Parkinson’s is a boutique disease. There may be a range and variety of
symptoms manifested as well as rate of progression. There is no one test or
scan that can confirm a diagnosis, though usually an MRI of the brain is
performed to rule out other possibilities.
No exact cause has been pinpointed. Genetic factors can play a role,
but account for a small percentage of cases. Environmental factors such as
where you live, and chemical exposure, may be part of the picture. Some
research suggests links between PD and chemicals used in farming, factories or
Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. But there is no one profile that proves
causality.
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