A Member of the University of Maryland Medical System   |   In Partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Share

Email PageEmail Print PagePrint

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Mal de Parkinson - Overview

Nombres alternativos

Parálisis agitante; Parálisis con temblor

Definición:

Es un trastorno cerebral que lleva a que se presente agitación (temblores) y dificultad en la marcha, el movimiento y la coordinación.

Causas:

El mal de Parkinson se desarrolla con mayor frecuencia después de los 50 años de edad y es uno de los trastornos neurológicos más comunes en los ancianos. En ocasiones, se presenta en adultos más jóvenes y afecta tanto a hombres como a mujeres.

En algunos casos, la enfermedad es hereditaria. Cuando una persona joven resulta afectada, generalmente se debe a una forma de la enfermedad que es hereditaria.

Las neuronas utilizan un químico cerebral, llamado dopamina, para ayudar a controlar el movimiento muscular. El mal de Parkinson ocurre cuando las neuronas del cerebro que producen la dopamina se destruyen lentamente. Sin la dopamina, las neuronas en esa parte del cerebro no pueden enviar mensajes apropiadamente, llevando a la pérdida de la función muscular. El daño empeora con el tiempo. Se desconoce la razón exacta por la cual las neuronas se desgastan.


Mal de Parkinson

El Parkinson en los niños, el cual no es muy común, puede ocurrir debido a que los nervios no son tan sensibles a la dopamina.

El término "parkinsonismo" hace referencia a cualquier afección que involucre los tipos de cambios en el movimiento observados en el mal de Parkinson. El parkinsonismo puede ser causado por otros trastornos (como el parkinsonismo secundario) o por ciertos medicamentos.

  • Reviewed last on: 5/6/2011
  • A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Daniel Kantor, MD, Medical Director of Neurologique, Ponte Vedra, FL and President of the Florida Society of Neurology (FSN). Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (10/4/2010).

Referencias

Lang AE. When and how should treatment be started in Parkinson disease? Neurology. 2009;72(7 Suppl):S39-43.

Weaver FM, Follett K, Stern M, et al. Bilateral deep brain stimulation vs best medical therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2009;301(1):63-73.

Zesiewicz TA, Sullivan KL, Arnulf I, Chaudhuri KR, Morgan JC, Gronseth GS, et al. Practice Parameter: treatment of nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson disease: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2010 Mar 16;74(11):924-31.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
Adam QualityA.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
Connect with UMMC
Facebook Twitter YouTube Blog iPhone

Please rate the quality of this article.

Do you find this article to be helpful / informative?
              
Poor                                       Excellent

Do you have any brief comments on this page: (up to 255 characters)

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885