Parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease not the same thing – The Derby Informer

I was treated for pelvic cancer earlier this year, and ever since finishing chemo, Ive had problems with balance and movement. My doctor thinks it could be parkinsonism. Is that the same as Parkinsons disease? Did the chemo cause it?

Although the two conditions share a similar name and similar symptoms, parkinsonism is not the same thing as Parkinsons disease. Rather, its a term that refers to any neurological condition that can cause the symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease.

Parkinsons disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects and interferes with movement. Symptoms arise due to disruption in a region of the brain that produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a big role in smooth and continuous muscle movement. When someone has Parkinsons disease, the cells in the brain that produce dopamine have either stopped working or have died.

A common symptom in Parkinsons disease is something known as resting tremor. This is trembling or shaking that occurs when muscles are at rest, but which disappears when they are engaged. Some people experience a change to their handwriting, which becomes small and cramped.

There is no single test for Parkinsons disease making diagnosis a challenge.

Although the symptoms of parkinsonism are similar, they tend to manifest more quickly. Most cases are classified as idiopathic, which means that the origin is unclear. When the condition is caused by a different illness, a different neurodegenerative disorder or as a result of certain medications, its known as secondary parkinsonism.

Some researchers have begun to identify cases of chemo-induced parkinsonism. A study conducted at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York identified several cases in a single year of cancer patients who developed tremors and began to have difficulty walking soon after undergoing chemotherapy. In each case, the patients were treated with levodopa, which is a dopamine replacement used in the treatment of Parkinsons disease. The authors of the study suggested that chemotherapy, particularly when delivered in high doses, may be an under-recognized link to the onset of parkinsonism symptoms.

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Parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease not the same thing - The Derby Informer