Sensory Processing Deficits and Swallowing Disorders in Parkinson’s Patients, Research Paper Example

Parkinson disease is a generative disease that affects the central nervous system. It impairs the speech, the motor skills and other body functions like the sensory parts and also slowing the physical movements of the muscles. Parkinson disease is associated with reduced amplitude of the movement (hypokinesia) as well as slowed movement (bradykinesia) which is usually observed in the motor system of anyone with Parkinson disease. It is also associated with reduction excitation of the cortical motor centers from basal ganglia hence reduced drive to motoneuron pools. Sensory deficit or disturbance is a part of Parkinson’s disease that causes abnormalities in the sensory processing (Marilyn, Elizabeth & Eugene, 2008). These abnormalities in the sensory processing via basal ganglia involvement are the ones responsible for the sensory dysfunction of the sensory nerve conduction system (Helen, 1999). Parkinson’s disease is usually associated with mechanical pain perception reduction as well as a loss of the epidermal nerve fibers (François, Jordan & Stefano, 2001).

Parkinson disease being a disorder that is degenerative is as well associated with muscle rigidity and the loss of the physical movement especially in the tracheal system. It causes a condition called Dysphagia which is a term that refers to difficulty in swallowing. The swallowing problem is usually associated with Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) to an extent that those with this disorder are not aware of any swallowing problem. Dysphagia develops at any point during the disease and is prevalent in the long standing IPD. People with Parkinson’s disease exhibit delayed triggering of the pharyngeal swallowing mechanism. This causes slowed contraction of pharyngeal walls and reduced retraction of the posterior tongue base. This failed wall function causes the swallowing problem in the esophagus. It usually results to impended transport or movement of solids, liquids or even both from the pharynx to stomach (Jeri, 1998). This Dysphagia disorder is usually classified as either esophageal or oropharyngeal although it depends on where it occurs. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is usually a swallowing difficulty when emptying the materials from the oropharynx to esophagus, this result from the abnormal function proximal to the esophagus (Rajesh, Kelly & Lyons, 2007). People suffering from this disorder usually complain of swallowing difficult when starting to swallow the food. The oropharyngeal dysphagia usually occurs to the patients who have Parkinson’s disorder that affects the skeletal muscles (Stewart & William, 2008). Esophageal dysphagia is a difficulty of passing the food down the esophagus which results from the mechanical obstruction that usually results from the muscles affected by the Parkinson’s disease. The oropharyngeal dysphagia is not consistent to the medications or pharmacologic therapy.

References

François, B., Jordan, G. & Stefano, C. (2001). Handbook of neuropsychology: Aging and dementia. California: Elsevier Health Sciences.

Helen, S. (1999). Neuroscience for rehabilitation. Michigan: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Jeri, A. (1998). Evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders. Michigan: PRO-ED Press.

Marilyn, T., Elizabeth, P. & Eugene, C. (2008). Neuro rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease: an evidence-based treatment model. London: SLACK Incorporated.

Rajesh, P., Kelly, E. & Lyons, K. (2007). Handbook of Parkinson’s disease. New York: CRC Press.

Stewart A. F. & William J. W. (2008). Parkinson’s disease: diagnosis and clinical management. Michigan: Demos Medical Publishing.