brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Parkinsonism
Causes of Parkinsonism
The most common cause of parkinsonism is Use of drugs that block or interfere withdopamine’s action Certain drugs and toxins interfere with or block the action ofdopamineand other chemical messengers that help nerve cells communicate with each other (neurotransmitters). For example, antipsychotic drugs, used to treat paranoia and schizophrenia, blockdopamine’s action.Dopamineis a key neurotransmitter in the basal ganglia (collections of nerve cells located deep within the brain), which help smooth out muscle movements. Various other conditions can cause parkinsonism: Degenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer Disease , Encephalitis , including West Nile virus encephalitis and a rare brain inflammation that follows a flu-like infection Structural brain disorders, such as Overview of Brain Tumors and Overview of Head Injuries , particularly the repeated injury that occurs in boxing (making a person punch-drunk) Wilson Disease (mainly in young people) Certain Spinocerebellar ataxias None (used to relieve nausea) and Antipsychotic Drugs None Toxins, such asmanganese, carbon monoxide, and methanol Parkinsonism caused by degenerative disorders of the brain is called atypical parkinsonism. 