> just got this interesting letter from my web site and I told the
> reader I would post it here to see if anyone had heard of an
> encepalitis/PD link. Here is the whole letter.
>
> Recently, she told me she read that people who have had encephalitis are at
> very high risk for developing Parkinson's Disease. Where can I get more
> information on this link? What are the first signs of PD?
>
> hand shaking when held a certain way (a genetic trait) . This gets
> worse with age. I have noticed lately that my head shakes when I hold
> it in certain positions- I worry that I may be developing PD."
>
> Paul
> [log in to unmask]
> <http://www.cloudnet.com/~mandms>
> Parkinsons News From the Front Line
>
Paul
People who suffered from encephalitis do have PD more frequent than others, but
the difference is small. In this century however a special encephalitis has
existed. People who suffered this disease and survived did run a high risk of
developing a special PD.
In the twenties a notorious influenza (the so called Spanish) made much
victims. A pneumonia which was a frequent complication of this type influenza
was a feared killer. Survivers of this pneumonia did run a new risk
encephalitis lethargica, which caused a period of "sleep"from which they
couldn't be awakened and this could end in death. However having survived this
it was not yet enough. It was now PD that awaitened those survivers. This PD
was somewhat different from what nowadays is seen. Oliver Sacks wrote the book
:"Awakenings" about some patients who were yet alive in 1968 when the use of
leva-dopa started. Might it be that the reading about the link between the two
diseases was from an old book or encyclopedia?
Not all tremors are indicative of PD. The shaking hands when hold in a certain
way are not specific parkinsonian. The typical PD tremor is a rest- or non
intention tremor, who disapears when something is done intentionally. However
this is not certain for 100%.
If this does not stop worrying it might be usefull to see a neuro who
specialises in PD.
Ida Kamphuis 52\12
Holland
