Nearly 70 southern Illinoisans came out to attend a Parkinson’s disease seminar on Tuesday, September 10, featuring internationally recognized expert, Dr. Rodger J. Elble, MD, PhD. The debilitating disease is well-known, especially since the actor Michael J. Fox revealed he has Parkinson’s, but it is not well understood.
In an effort to raise awareness and bring a support group together, Dr. Elble and Charlene Young, RN, MSW, FNP shared information about what one might expect if stricken with Parkinson’s disease, called “What You Must Know About Parkinson’s Disease.”
Emotional support and education about the illness is important throughout the course of Parkinson’s disease. “Southern Illinois currently has no active support group for Parkinson’s disease,” said Bob Kiriakos, seminar planner and a Parkinson’s patient. “I wanted to help people become more aware of the many faces of PD and encourage the creation of a support group open to people with the disease, their caregivers and their families.”
Rodger J. Elble, MD, PhD, board certified in Psychiatry and Neurology and professor and chair of the Department of Neurology and Director of the Center for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, spoke about the classic symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and how physicians treat the disease.
Accompanying Dr. Elble was Charlene Young, RN, MSW, FNP, a certified family nurse practitioner and is the clinical instructor of Neurology and the nurse administrator for the Parkinson Center at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. Her presentation to the community was aimed at defining Parkinson’s disease, describing symptoms and treatment, and giving helpful household tips.
Parkinson's disease is a disorder of certain nerve cells in a part of the brain (substantia nigra) that produces dopamine, a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) that the brain uses to help direct and control movement. In Parkinson's disease, these dopamine-producing nerve cells break down, dopamine levels drop, and brain signals directing movement become abnormal.
Dr. Elble described it as a brake pedal and gas pedal in a car. When the neurotransmitters break down, the signals get confused or do not get the to gas or brake pedal. The result is a car that either will not go or runs uncontrollably. Classic symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include shaking (tremor), stiff muscles (rigidity), and slow movement (bradykinesia).
According to Elble, “too often, the symptoms of Parkinson’s and other diseases of the aged are not taken seriously. I tell my students not to blame anything on old age. We are dealing with diseases, and we find that most of them are treatable and someday, curable.
Dr. Elbe also gave a presentation to 46 physicians and health care professionals at another seminar held the same day at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
“It was important for our professional staff to have an opportunity to update their knowledge of the state of the art treatment of Parkinson Disease,” Peggy Thompson, RN, education, MHC said. “It was also important to have an opportunity to consult with an international expert in the treatment of Parkinson Disease.”
The programs were hosted jointly by Southern Illinois School of Medicine and Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Those who might be interested in joining the support group can call Memorial Hospital of Carbondale at 618.549-0721 ext. 65141.
For more information about Parkinson’s disease visit: http://yourhealth.sih.net/library/healthguide/illnessconditions/topic.asp?hwid=hw93188 or go to http://yourhealth.sih.net/library and type in the keyword “Parkinson’s”.
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