Parkinson's Disease is a neurological illness named after Dr. James Parkinson, a London physician who was the first to describe it in 1817. Parkinson's disease (or PD) is a disorder caused by the gradual loss of cells in a small part of the brain called the substantia nigra . The loss (death) of these cells produces a reduction in a vital chemical called "dopamine," which causes symptoms that may include shaking of hands, slowing down of movement, stiffness, and loss of balance. Other symptoms may include loss of facial expression, reduction in speech volume and clarity, difficulty swallowing, change in size of handwriting, dry skin, constipation, urinary difficulties, and depression. Because Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder, these symptoms worsen with time.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms
It is important to realize that not every person with Parkinson's develops all signs or symptoms of the disease. For example, some people experience tremor as the primary symptom, while others may not have tremor but do have balance problems. Also, for some people the disease progresses quickly, and in others it does not. The following are descriptions of the most common primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Tremor: In the early stages of the disease, about 70 percent of people experience a slight tremor in the hand or foot on one side of the body, or less commonly in the jaw or face. It appears as a "beating" or oscillating movement. Because the Parkinson's tremor usually appears when a person's muscles are relaxed, it is called "resting tremor." This means that the affected body part trembles when it is not doing work, and it usually subsides when a person begins an action. The tremor often spreads to the other side of the body as the disease progresses, but remains most apparent on the original side of occurrence.
Rigidity: Rigidity, also called increased muscle tone, means stiffness or inflexibility of the muscles. Muscles normally stretch when they move, and then relax when they are at rest. In rigidity, the muscle tone of an affected limb is always stiff and does not relax, sometimes resulting in a decreased range of motion. For example, a person who has rigidity may not be able to swing his or her arms when walking because the muscles are too tight. Rigidity can cause pain and cramping.
Bradykinesia: Bradykinesia is the phenomenon of a person experiencing slow movements. In addition to slow movements, a person with bradykinesia will probably also have incomplete movement, difficulty initiating movements and sudden stopping of ongoing movement. People who have bradykinesia may walk with short, shuffling steps (this is called festination). Bradykinesia and rigidity can occur in the facial muscles, reducing a person's range of facial expressions and resulting in a "mask-like" appearance.
Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination: People with Parkinson's disease often experience instability when standing or impaired balance and coordination. These symptoms, combined with other symptoms such as bradykinesia, increase the probability of falling. People with balance problems may have difficulty making turns or abrupt movements. They may go through periods of "freezing," which is when a person feels stuck to the ground and finds it difficult to start walking. The slowness and incompleteness of movement can also affect speaking and swallowing.
Secondary symptoms of Parkinson's can be, for many, as troublesome as the primary movement symptoms of the disease. . Secondary symptoms of Parkinson's include stooped posture, a tendency to lean forward or backward and speech problems, such as softness of voice or slurred speech caused by lack of muscle control. Non-motor symptoms, such as depression, also affect the life of a person with Parkinson's.
The following is a list of secondary symptoms of PD
Speech changes
Loss of facial expression, or "masking"
Micrographia (small, cramped handwriting)
Difficulty swallowing
Urinary problems
Pain
Dementia or confusion
Sleep disturbances ()
Constipation
Skin problems
Depression
Fear or anxiety
Memory difficulties and slowed thinking
Sexual dysfunction
Fatigue and aching
Loss of energy
Compulsive behavior
Cramping

Alzheimer disease
Symptoms
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It’s a progressive disease that gets worse with time. Alzheimer's does not affect each person the same way. But, there are some symptoms that usually happen as the disease progresses. Here is a list of some of the symptoms:
Alzheimer’s progresses in stages over 8 to 10 years, on average, after diagnosis
Mild Alzheimer's disease
People with mild Alzheimer's disease may:
Have memory loss
Have trouble naming common items
Ask or say the same thing over and over
Get lost easily
Lose interest in things they once liked to do
Lose things more often than normal
Have personality changes
Moderate Alzheimer's disease
People with moderate Alzheimer's disease may:
Have poor memory of recent events
Have trouble with tasks such as washing dishes or setting the table
Have a hard time dressing for the weather or occasion
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Parkinson's Disease is a neurological illness named after Dr. James Parkinson, a London physician who was the first to describe it in 1817. Parkinson's disease (or PD) is a disorder caused by the gradual loss of cells in a small part of the brain called the substantia nigra . The loss (death) of these cells produces a reduction in a vital chemical called "dopamine," which causes symptoms that may include shaking of hands, slowing down of movement, stiffness, and loss of balance. Other symptoms may include loss of facial expression, reduction in speech volume and clarity, difficulty swallowing, change in size of handwriting, dry skin, constipation, urinary difficulties, and depression. Because Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder, these symptoms worsen with time.
Symptoms
Common Symptoms
It is important to realize that not every person with Parkinson's develops all signs or symptoms of the disease. For example, some people experience tremor as the primary symptom, while others may not have tremor but do have balance problems. Also, for some people the disease progresses quickly, and in others it does not. The following are descriptions of the most common primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Tremor: In the early stages of the disease, about 70 percent of people experience a slight tremor in the hand or foot on one side of the body, or less commonly in the jaw or face. It appears as a "beating" or oscillating movement. Because the Parkinson's tremor usually appears when a person's muscles are relaxed, it is called "resting tremor." This means that the affected body part trembles when it is not doing work, and it usually subsides when a person begins an action. The tremor often spreads to the other side of the body as the disease progresses, but remains most apparent on the original side of occurrence.
Rigidity: Rigidity, also called increased muscle tone, means stiffness or inflexibility of the muscles. Muscles normally stretch when they move, and then relax when they are at rest. In rigidity, the muscle tone of an affected limb is always stiff and does not relax, sometimes resulting in a decreased range of motion. For example, a person who has rigidity may not be able to swing his or her arms when walking because the muscles are too tight. Rigidity can cause pain and cramping.
Bradykinesia: Bradykinesia is the phenomenon of a person experiencing slow movements. In addition to slow movements, a person with bradykinesia will probably also have incomplete movement, difficulty initiating movements and sudden stopping of ongoing movement. People who have bradykinesia may walk with short, shuffling steps (this is called festination). Bradykinesia and rigidity can occur in the facial muscles, reducing a person's range of facial expressions and resulting in a "mask-like" appearance.
Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination: People with Parkinson's disease often experience instability when standing or impaired balance and coordination. These symptoms, combined with other symptoms such as bradykinesia, increase the probability of falling. People with balance problems may have difficulty making turns or abrupt movements. They may go through periods of "freezing," which is when a person feels stuck to the ground and finds it difficult to start walking. The slowness and incompleteness of movement can also affect speaking and swallowing.
Secondary symptoms of Parkinson's can be, for many, as troublesome as the primary movement symptoms of the disease. . Secondary symptoms of Parkinson's include stooped posture, a tendency to lean forward or backward and speech problems, such as softness of voice or slurred speech caused by lack of muscle control. Non-motor symptoms, such as depression, also affect the life of a person with Parkinson's.
The following is a list of secondary symptoms of PD
Speech changes
Loss of facial expression, or "masking"
Micrographia (small, cramped handwriting)
Difficulty swallowing
Urinary problems
Pain
Dementia or confusion
Sleep disturbances ()
Constipation
Skin problems
Depression
Fear or anxiety
Memory difficulties and slowed thinking
Sexual dysfunction
Fatigue and aching
Loss of energy
Compulsive behavior
Cramping

Alzheimer disease
Symptoms
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It’s a progressive disease that gets worse with time. Alzheimer's does not affect each person the same way. But, there are some symptoms that usually happen as the disease progresses. Here is a list of some of the symptoms:
Alzheimer’s progresses in stages over 8 to 10 years, on average, after diagnosis
Mild Alzheimer's disease
People with mild Alzheimer's disease may:
Have memory loss
Have trouble naming common items
Ask or say the same thing over and over
Get lost easily
Lose interest in things they once liked to do
Lose things more often than normal
Have personality changes
Moderate Alzheimer's disease
People with moderate Alzheimer's disease may:
Have poor memory of recent events
Have trouble with tasks such as washing dishes or setting the table
Have a hard time dressing for the weather or occasion
Forget to shave or shower
Argue more often
Believe things are real when they are not
Wander, often at night
Be worried or depressed
Need close supervision
Severe Alzheimer's disease
People with severe Alzheimer's disease may:
Have problems with eating
Have problems with speech or not speak at all
Not recognize you or other family members
Not be able to control bowels or urine
Have problems with walking
The Parkinson's Reversing Breakthrough?
Parkinson's disease: destruction of the substansia nigra
- pin rolling
- expressionless face
- micrographia
- resting tremor
- difficulty in initiating movement
(and a lot more)
Alzheimer's disease:1) due to hypertension (microinfarcts) and 2) associated with amyloid proteins.
- Loss of memory. Categorized into steps which influence both prognosis and management.
there's an interesting article you can view on this website:
http://saga.netdoctor.co.uk/alzheimer.php?q=Medica...