What to know about Parkinson's disease after Brett Favre's announcement
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[September 25, 2024]
By The Associated Press
More than a decade after retiring from football, Brett Favre says he has
Parkinson’s disease.
Favre told a congressional hearing Tuesday that he had been recently
diagnosed. There are nearly 90,000 new Parkinson’s cases each year in
the U.S., according to the Parkinson's Foundation.
Here are some questions and answers about the disease:
What is Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over
their movements. It typically starts with tremors, and is characterized
by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems and
slurred speech.
Who gets it?
About 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s, and 10 million
people worldwide, the foundation estimates. It usually appears after age
60, although sometimes it can develop before age 50.
What causes it?
The exact cause isn’t known but Parkinson’s develops when cells that
produce one of the brain’s chemical messengers, called dopamine, begin
to deteriorate and die. Dopamine transports signals to parts of the
brain that control movement. Parkinson’s symptoms appear after enough
dopamine-producing cells die that there’s too little of this
neurotransmitter in the brain.
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Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre arrives to appear before the
House Committee on Ways and Means on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Sept.
24, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
According to the foundation, most
experts believe genetic and environmental factors are behind the
disease. Dozens of gene mutations linked to Parkinson's have been
discovered and genetics account for 10 to 15% of all Parkinson's,
the group says. Other factors suspected of increasing the risk
include head injuries, exposure to pesticides and herbicides and
where you live. Favre said on a radio show in 2022 that he estimates
he may have experienced “thousands” of concussions in his two
decades in the NFL.
Is there a cure?
There is no cure but there are treatments, including medications
that affect dopamine levels and a surgically implanted
tremor-blocking device. Patients also can benefit from physical and
occupational therapy.
What’s the prognosis?
Symptoms worsen over time, usually slowly. The severity of symptoms,
and how quickly they progress, varies widely between patients. In
advanced cases, people may be unable to walk or care for themselves.
They also can suffer from depression, as well as memory and thinking
problems.
While Parkinson’s itself isn’t considered fatal, people can die from
complications of the disease, including lung problems as muscle
weakness impedes the ability to cough and to swallow.
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