Friday, April 13, 2007

PD and Alzheimer's disease: any difference?

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PD and Alzheimer's Disease


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Anonymous
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject: PD and Alzheimer's Disease

Can you kindly explain what is the difference between PD and Alzheimer's disease? What is the characteristic and similiar with these two disease? Is it by product of PD? Does PD develop Dementia ? TEO KIM HOE
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Dr. OkunJoined: 19 Jan 2007Posts: 251Location: University of Florida
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:48 am Post subject:

They are both neurodegenerative but are very different diseases. PD has a protein called alpha-synuclein that accumulates, and in AD it is called Tau. PD has motor and non-motor dysfunction and many patients respond to levodopa for many years. AD has memory and cognitive dysfunction (primarily) and drugs are less helpful---but there are some memory drugs. PD can also have dementia later, whereas in AD it appears sooner. There are overlap syndromes where features of both can be present._________________Michael S. Okun, M.D.
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