Previously Unidentified Factors Contributing to the Progression of Parkinson’s Disease

There are multiple known A, B, C, .......... and unknown factors X, Y, Z that contribute in the decrease in production of dopamine in the brain. When dopamine level falls approximately to 40 % of its baseline level, the remaining level of dopamine is not efficient to support normal functional and structural operations of the body’s system.

Very low levels of dopamine in the motor areas of the brain are linked to the onset of symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.  However, I believe that one of the symptoms, abnormal posture, actually becomes the primary and perpetuating factor in the progression of the disease. The deterioration of the subject’s posture, which is seen as angular and axial deviations of the structural framework, is accelerated by the inevitable force of gravity. 

These changes will alter the body’s physical characteristics, such as balance, gait, and rigidity, thereby creating higher energy demands and inefficiencies of movement. The PD subject could use a higher level of dopamine for motor functions, in order to smooth his or her inefficiently rigid movements, but actually produces less dopamine over time.

The decreasing dopamine level further weakens the system and activates the chain of the previous degenerative cycle. The downward spiral becomes ever worse, creating a higher degree of structural disintegration and requiring ever higher energy and levels of dopamine consumption. This cycle leads to excessive muscle contraction, worsening posture, balance, gait, locking in the center of gravity and other symptoms.

In addition to low dopamine and gravity, there is another pivotal factor that speeds the progression of structural deformation of the posture and motor symptoms. We tend to use one side of our body differently than the other side. The imbalance of functional operations of the two sides of the body causes uneven weight distribution on both parts of the body, leading to functional asymmetry (FA). FA breaks symmetry and alters the center of gravity. It further accelerates the postural abnormality, rigidity, uncoordinated gait asymmetry and balance.