Parkinsons’ Disease Impacts on the Autonomic Nervous System

Autonomic nervous system problems may develop on their own or even as a consequence of other disorders and diseases such as alcoholism, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes. The main common cause of autonomic neuropathy is diabetes, particularly once it is poorly managed. Diabetes could trigger nerve damage throughout the entire body as a result of inappropriate protein accumulation in organs, which has an impact on the organ systems and nervous system. Sexual dysfunction, ingesting and digestive issues, bowel and bladder irregularities, difficulty sleeping, and cardiac control problems, notably hypotension, are all symptoms of reflex impairment in Parkinson’s disease (Zalewski et al., 2018). Diagnosis is frequent in Parkinson’s disease, leading to the decrease of dopamine-producing neurons and the development of small misfolded proteins Lewy Bodies in the cerebellum. As a consequence, a wide range of non-motor disorders might manifest.

When sensory receptors inside the heart detect a decrease in blood pressure and attempt to send signals to the cardiovascular system to raise blood pressure, the signal might not be received. Diabetic neuropathy and a drop of blood pressure after standing is arguably the common result of the above. Autonomic disorders can be handled and successfully treated if they are identified early (Chen et al., 2020). Withdrawal of possible pathogenic or exacerbating medicines, non-pharmacological methods, patient education, and pathophysiology-based prescribed medications are all important aspects of efficient management of the condition.

Clinical studies for the therapy of autonomic dysfunction symptoms are difficult to conduct. Even though autonomic dysfunction is common in Parkinson’s disease patients, Only a few treatment approaches have substantial, randomized, placebo-controlled studies to back them up (Vijiaratnam et al., 2021). In individuals with Parkinson’s disease, autonomic dysfunction is commonly misdiagnosed. There are two primary reasons why the heart system’s automatic regulation is compromised. Furthermore, Lewy body-like accumulations and neurodegeneration have a direct impact on the autonomic nervous system, influencing its function.

References

Zalewski, P., SÅ‚omko, J., & Zawadka-Kunikowska, M. (2018). Autonomic dysfunction and chronic disease. British medical bulletin.

Chen, Z., Li, G., & Liu, J. (2020). Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: Implications for pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Neurobiology of Disease, 134, 104700.


Work with us at nursingstudyhub, and help us set you up for success with your nursing school homework and assignments, as we encourage you to become a better nurse. Your satisfaction is our goal


Claim your 20% discount!