Parkinson's Disease - Music Magic

(Play at max volume) Most patients and a good many doctors think of PD as simply a case of dying brain cells creating a shortage of the chemical dopamine. The treatment is to replace the dopamine. If this view was true, then this video would not be possible. I am in a state described as "off" and experiencing "freezing". The medicines are not working and my feet stick to the floor. It is a miserable way to be, trust me. Nothing happens to increase dopamine, yet you see the magic of music.

The importance here is that precious research dollars go by the truckload to the simplistic view of this condition when they should be going to new avenues. Dancing is fun, but I would rather have the option to walk.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• parkinson's
• disease
• dance

[ilovecheesee11]

what is parkinson's?

[reverett123]

Depends on who you ask. The "establishment" says that it is brain damage causing movement problems due to a shortage of a chemical called dopamine. At the other extreme (and where I fall) is that the damage is just the end product of an inflammatory process that can be traced back to the womb and involves the immune, endocrine, and GI systems as well as the nervous system.

[BPieter]

those explanations arent mutually exclusive are they? The shortage of dopamine still has to have a cause which could involve the systems you mentioned.

[reverett123]

You are correct. It is a much bigger picture than normally thought.

[earthnfire88]

this is interesting...most of the information I've found on Parkinson's disease is "due to shortage of dopamine due to nerve damage etc.". I'd appreciate it if you elaborate on this for me...as in (if you don't mind me asking) when were you diagnosed, etc. I take it as "music" is a very short term treatment method?do you only go into the freezing stage while you're listening to music? (I couldnt hear the words you were saying on the clip. I would really like to find out more about this...

[reverett123]

First symptoms 1992. Dx 2000. One of the problems is disruption of the internal clocks that enable us to coordinate movement. Music with the right beat temporarily replaces it. Notice the beat on the music.

[sign2804]

The answer to this mystery is in one region of the brain called basal ganglia. It acts as a maestro.

[mangabaunger]

Music replaces temporarily the role of basal ganglia (dopaminergic area that act as maestro of the brain and which is malfunctioning in Parkinson's disease). This is the reason for symptoms improvement.

[speedbag1]

Yes!! behold the power of Rhythm and repetitive movements. You could also hit the speed bag to that song in much the same was as you are dancing! Great video and very inspirational. Keep on Dancin'!

[sperryboy]

While I'm not yet a physician and certainly not an authority on the subject, I have taken several courses at university that have touched heavily on Parkinson's. Parkinson's is, technically, a disorder in which the substantia nigra of the midbrain die depriving the basal ganglia (which, among other things, regulates information flow about movement through the thalamus to the cortex) of DA. It sounds as if your disorder is Parkinsonian-like, but not true Parkinson's.

Very nice video though. Thx