Greater than a decade after retiring from soccer, Brett Favre says he has Parkinson’s illness.
Favre informed a congressional listening to Tuesday that he had been just lately recognized. There are almost 90,000 new Parkinson’s instances annually within the U.S., in keeping with the Parkinson’s Basis.
Listed here are some questions and solutions in regards to the illness:
What’s Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is a neurologic illness that robs individuals of management over their actions. It sometimes begins with tremors, and is characterised by gradual motion, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, stability issues and slurred speech.
Who will get it?
About 1 million Individuals reside with Parkinson’s, and 10 million individuals worldwide, the muse estimates. It often seems after age 60, though typically it could develop earlier than age 50.
Parkinson’s illness is a progressive motion dysfunction of the nervous system that weakens nerve cells and results in signs, together with issues with motion, tremor, stiffness and impaired stability.
What causes it?
The precise trigger isn’t recognized however Parkinson’s develops when cells that produce one of many mind’s chemical messengers, known as dopamine, start to deteriorate and die. Dopamine transports indicators to components of the mind that management motion. Parkinson’s signs seem after sufficient dopamine-producing cells die that there’s too little of this neurotransmitter within the mind.
In accordance with the muse, most consultants consider genetic and environmental components are behind the illness. Dozens of gene mutations linked to Parkinson’s have been found and genetics account for 10 to fifteen% of all Parkinson’s, the group says. Different components suspected of accelerating the chance embrace head accidents, publicity to pesticides and herbicides and the place you reside. Favre mentioned on a radio present in 2022 that he estimates he might have skilled “1000’s” of concussions in his twenty years within the NFL.
Is there a treatment?
There isn’t a treatment however there are remedies, together with medicines that have an effect on dopamine ranges and a surgically implanted tremor-blocking gadget. Sufferers can also profit from bodily and occupational remedy.
What’s the prognosis?
Signs worsen over time, often slowly. The severity of signs, and the way rapidly they progress, varies extensively between sufferers. In superior instances, individuals could also be unable to stroll or take care of themselves. Additionally they can endure from melancholy, in addition to reminiscence and considering issues.
Whereas Parkinson’s itself isn’t thought of deadly, individuals can die from problems of the illness, together with lung issues as muscle weak spot impedes the power to cough and to swallow.
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