Chemical Deficiency in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease occurs when cells in the brain that produce a neurotransmitter, which is a chemical that carries messages between brain cells, die or stop working. The loss of this chemical leads to the effects of the disease.

Identification

• The neurotransmitter lost in Parkinson's disease is called dopamine. According to Medline Plus, this neurotransmitter is used by the brain to control movement.

Cause

• Parkinson's disease is described as being idiopathic because, according to Medline Plus, it is not known what causes dopamine-producing cells to die off (idiopathic means having an unknown cause).

Risk Factors

• Although it is not known what causes the death of dopamine cells, risk factors include, according to the Mayo Clinic: advancing age, exposure to pesticides and herbicides, sex (men are somewhat more likely to develop the condition), and heredity, as people with family members who have Parkinson's are at a slightly increased risk.

Effects

• The loss of dopamine leads to tremor (shaking) in the limbs, muscle aches and rigid muscles, problems with movement, the loss of automatic movements like blinking and other symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Treatment

• Many of the drugs used to manage Parkinson's disease duplicate the effects of dopamine in the brain, and other drugs are used to support the action of these medicines, according to the Mayo Clinic.