Anticholinergic1, Alpha-synuclein2, Dyskinesia3, Micrographia 4 ???????
Confused about all of the terms, names and symptoms? Click here to go to the PD Glossary on the Micheal J Fox Foundation website and look up that term or name or symptom.
1A class of drugs often effective in reducing the tremor of Parkinson’s disease. They work by blocking the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. However, because acetylcholine is involved in memory, learning and thinking, anticholinergic drugs can bring about cognitive side effects including confusion or dementia.
2A protein normally found in neurons, and present in high concentrations in Lewy bodies. A genetic mutation in this protein is the basis for a rare inherited form of Parkinson’s disease.
3Involuntary, uncontrollable, and often excessive movements that are a common side effect of levodopa treatment for Parkinson’s disease. These movements can be lurching, dance-like or jerky, and are distinct from the rhythmic tremor commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease.
4Small, cramped handwriting that is a symptom for many Parkinson’s patients.
