On Tue, 10 Dec 1996 10:11, Emma Bennion asked:
I have had another technical question - does calcification in the basal
ganglia that shows up on a CAT scan, have any relevance in the diagnosis of
PD? Can anyone help me please?
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Calcification, in my mind, would be limited to deterioration caused
by deposition of calcium salts. I'll give one answer to your question if I
can rephrase the question to ask instead about deterioration, in general, in
the basal ganglia.
PD is one of several progressively degenerative diseases that
originate in different parts of the brain. Very simply put, in PD, cells of
the substantia nigra gradually stop producing dopamine, a chemical needed to
transmit signals between nerve cells. In fact, the only fully certain
diagnosis is by pathological examination of the substantia nigra, where loss
of the pigmented cells may be observed.
Huntington's Disease (HD) ia also a progressively degenerative
disease. In HD, the small area of the brain known as the basal ganglia is
the only area which is affected. The basal ganglia directs normal
movement, selection of appropriate action, and suppression of inappropriate
action. It is also important for cognitive function.
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