- With Mayo Clinic neurologist
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Dr. Jerry Swanson is a board-certified neurologist at Mayo Clinic and is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He has a special interest in headache disorders and medical education.
Dr. Swanson, a Lacon, Ill., native, was appointed to the Mayo Clinic staff in 1982 and works in the Department of Neurology with about 90 other physicians. He formerly chaired the Headache Division in the Neurology Department at Mayo Clinic and works with headache subspecialists around the world. He has published and lectured widely on headache disorders. He also serves as Assistant Dean for Assessment in Mayo Medical School.
"In a manner similar to the printing press, Internet technology enables the unprecedented ability to communicate with the global community about health information," Dr. Swanson says. "There is no doubt that the knowledgeable individual contributes greatly to his or her own health care, and now we can share information much more widely."
"There is much information already available about health care on the Internet. Unfortunately, much of it is not founded on sound principles. It is exciting to be a part of the MayoClinic.com team and contribute to the creation of a reliable and timely health resource."
Dr. Swanson is the neurology editor for "Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and has reviewed articles for "Mayo Clinic Health Letter" and "Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource." He is also editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic on Headache" book, published in 2004. In 2008 the magazine "Women's Health" named him one of America's Top Doctors for Women.
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Question
Parkinsonism: What causes it?
What is parkinsonism?
Answer
from Jerry W. Swanson, M.D.
Parkinsonism refers to any condition that causes a combination of the movement abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease — such as tremors, slow movement, impaired speech or muscle stiffness — resulting from the loss of dopamine-containing nerve cells (neurons). The most common cause of parkinsonism is Parkinson's disease. But not everyone who has parkinsonism has Parkinson's disease. Other causes of parkinsonism include:
- Stroke
- Encephalitis, inflammation of the brain usually caused by infection
- Meningitis, inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
- Progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare degenerative brain disorder
- Multiple systems atrophy, a degenerative disorder that destroys nerve tissue
- Corticobasal degeneration, a rare neurological disease
- Certain medications, such as some antipsychotics and metoclopramide
- Head trauma, isolated or repeated, such as injuries sustained in boxing
No definitive tests exist for parkinsonism or Parkinson's disease. A diagnosis is usually based on your medical history, observations of signs of the condition and a neurological exam. In the early stages of the disease, it may be difficult to know if parkinsonism is due to Parkinson's disease or another condition that mimics it. The development of additional signs and symptoms and the progression of the disease may establish the correct diagnosis.
Treatment of parkinsonism is directed at the underlying cause when possible and may include medication to manage the signs and symptoms.
