Parkinson’s disease affects the central nervous system and causes loss of control of motor skills, leading to death. Age, severity of the disease, and pre-existing throat problems affect life expectancy. There is no known cure, but medications can ease symptoms. Swallowing difficulties can shorten life expectancy.
Some of the major factors contributing to life expectancy with Parkinson’s disease appear to be age, the severity of the disease at onset, and pre-existing throat problems. These individual components tend to be natural elements of this particular affliction and can serve to accentuate its effects. Much remains to be learned about Parkinson’s, however, as research is ongoing and patients may even live without further complications and die of other natural causes.
Parkinson’s is known as a movement disorder. The disease gradually destroys the sufferer’s central nervous system over an extended period of time. This occurs when the neurons that control motor functions begin to degenerate and slow down the production and release of the organic chemical neurotransmitter known as dopamine.
The effect of this is typically loss of control of all major motor skills and ultimately death. Those with the disease are more often noted for shaky tremors in their movements or severe stiffness. They may also walk with a hunched back and shuffle. The cause of this disease is unknown and there is no cure. However, many medications are available to reduce or ease symptoms.
The patient’s age when the first symptoms of the disease begin to appear plays a role in life expectancy with Parkinson’s. Most people diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 60, with the number of sufferers increasing dramatically between the ages of 70 and 80. The patient’s natural susceptibility to dementia and brain malfunction can be aggravated by the presence of the disease, leading to rapid deterioration. Younger patients, between the ages of 20 and 40, who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s tend to live four to seven times longer than patients who start experiencing symptoms in their 60s.
The disease often presents with varying degrees of severity. The level of advancement of the disease can also affect the life expectancy of an individual with Parkinson’s. Some do not experience tremors for several years after initial diagnosis and may live with the disease longer than those who experience violent tremors almost immediately after diagnosis. The reasons for this are unknown.
Patients who already suffer from swallowing difficulties or disorders may have a shorter life expectancy with Parkinson’s. As the disease progresses through the body, it inhibits an individual’s ability to chew, swallow and speak. In many patients, death occurs from complications associated with a lack of nutrition, as food is difficult to swallow and choking is a concern or problem.
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