Costa Mesa In-Home Care: Examining the Causes of Parkinson’s Disease

The cause of Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating disease of the central nervous system, remains unknown, but according to new research conducted by scientists at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, researchers may have found some clues.  The traditional belief that loss of dopamine leads to Parkinson’s is being challenged by new evidence that stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the key event (Cell Death and Disease, 2016).  Researchers are not negating the validity of the traditional argument; rather, they are adding to the argument by saying that they discovered the reason why the brain stops producing dopamine and are developing something that could prevent stress on the ER.

What does this mean for you?

While researchers are developing a remedy or cure for Parkinson’s, there are ways to boost your dopamine levels naturally.  But what is dopamine, you ask?  It is a neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers (Psychology Today, 2016).  The more energy you pour into your favorite activities, hobbies and people, the more you increase your dopamine levels.  Although no one exactly knows why the brain starts producing less dopamine (and researchers at best have come up with only theories), the least you could do is to do things that make you happy.  Positive thinking plays a big role as well as diet; certain foods like avocado and chocolate can really give you a good dopamine boost.

I already have Parkinson’s.  Is there any hope for me?

There’s always hope for anyone who has Parkinson’s regardless of the stage of disease they’re in.   You or your elderly loved one can benefit from A-1 Home Care’s 24-hour Parkinson’s Care which enables people to live life to the fullest.  Our live-in caregivers help seniors cope with symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as stiffness, slow movement, tremors, inability to stand upright, mood disorders, vision loss and difficulty with swallowing.  The need for live-in care becomes increasingly important as Parkinson’s progresses, but our companion caregivers can motivate your elderly loved ones to participate in favorite hobbies that they otherwise would not do if a caregiver were not around.

Call today for immediate relief (949) 650-3800 or visit our website www.costamesainhomecare.com for services in Costa Mesa, Tustin, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Newport Beach, Orange, Yorba Linda and other surrounding cities.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter!

Journal References

Mitofusin-mediated ER stress triggers neurodegeneration in pink1/parkin models of Parkinson’s disease, I. Celardo et al., Cell Death and Disease, doi:10.1038/cddis.2016.173, published online 23 June 2016.