Citation

Zhang T, Lv Z, Gao S. Front. Neurol. 2021; 12: e812342.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Frontiers Research Foundation)

DOI

10.3389/fneur.2021.812342

PMID

35002945

PMCID

PMC8739955

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Clinically, its incidence is second only to Alzheimer's disease, which seriously harms the health of middle-aged and elderly people (1). Main clinical manifestations of this disease include balance disorder, resting tremor, bradykinesia, and muscle stiffness, and this disease has a high incidence and disability rate. However, initial symptoms of PD are different, and the early symptoms are often ignored by people, which delays the optimal time to manage the disease. PD is closely related to age. Epidemiological surveys showed that the global prevalence of PD is 0.3%, among which the population over 65 years old accounts for 1-2%, and the prevalence rate over 85 years old increases to 3-5% (2, 3). A meta-analysis of people, both genders, with PD showed that men are at higher risk of PD than women (4). The progression of PD is unpredictable and may suddenly worsen. People with PD often complain that their symptoms clearly worsen within one year.

Fall is a balance disorder that often occurs in the late stage of PD. However, some studies have found that abnormal body swings occur in the early stages of PD, that is, mild balance dysfunction, which gradually worsens as the course of the disease progresses (5). Some researchers have found that people with Hoehn-Yahr stageII PD have balance adjustment disorders when they turn around (6). Newly diagnosed unmedicated people with PD have abnormal balance (7). Ultrasound of abnormal brain substantia nigra shows mild balance wobble in high-risk people with PD (8). Therefore, people with PD can have mild balance dysfunction in the early stage (9). As the course of the disease progresses, people with PD will inevitably show signs of abnormal dynamic balance, and even fall, leading to fractures and disability.

Although the apoptosis of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra striatum is the main cause of motor symptoms of PD, the balance disorder cannot be explained by lack of dopamine alone. Application of PET-CT found that apoptosis of the substantia nigra is closely related to motor retardation, but it has little to do with postural balance. It is well known that Medoba cannot alleviate or partially alleviate the symptoms of balance disorders...

Language: en

Keywords

limitations; Parkinson's disease; fall; balance ability; tai chi