1) Which of the following is a commonly overlooked initial non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s Disease?
a. Anosmia
Rationale: Anosmia (reduced sense of smell) is a commonly overlooked early symptom of PD. Bradykinesia is an early stage MOTOR dysfunction. Akinesia a MOTOR dysfunction and progressive/late stage symptom. Cogwheel rigidity, while likely early stage is a MOTOR symptom/dysfunction.
2) Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease is often delayed due to the fact that (CHOOSE ALL THAT APPLY):
a. It manifests later in life. Thus, early symptoms can be mistakenly attributed to normal ageing
c. Its symptoms manifest gradually;
Rationale: The mean age of Parkinson’s Disease onset is 60 years. Symptoms manifest gradually and can be mistaken for normal signs of ageing, especially early in the disease process. It is not characterized by remissions and exacerbation of symptoms, and is not confined to any single ethnic group, though some research suggests it is particularly common in Whites. It is slightly more common in men than women.
3) The four cardinal symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease include:
b. Tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability;
Rationale: The four cardinal symptoms of PD are: tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and postural instability.
4) The hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease pathophysiology is degradation of acetylcholine pathways in the nigro-striatal pathway of the midbrain (True/False).
False
Rationale: The hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease pathophysiology is the degradation of dopamine pathways in the nigro-striatal pathway of the mid-brain.
5) Levodopa is a commonly used drug in the pharmacotherapy of Parkinson’s Disease. This drug’s mechanism of action of is best described as:
a. A dopamine precursor that crosses the blood brain barrier and promotes synthesis of dopamine
Rationale: Levodopa’s mechanism of action is via direct stimulation in that it is a dopamine precursor with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Once inside the brain, levodopa is converted to dopamine.