My understanding and experience of the mental changes/dementia due to PD are related to the decrease in dopamine within the nigro-striatal-cortical connections to the frontal lobe. The mental changes occur as the disease progresses. It seems to cause a decreased emotional investment in the movement I may be assessing (i.e. gait). Therefore, this has been discussed as being one of the reasons for the lack of initiation in P w/ PD.
Also, long-term use of L-Dopa can lead to schizzophrenic type dementia. My approach to EVERY person with AD or PD is individualized and never based soley on the diagnosis....certainly establishing where the person is in regards to mental status is the start, for this will let me know if I should use cerebral or primitive mechanisms in my approach to treating the movement deficit. Seems like most of the people with AD that I have treated were in LTC facilities and were at the later stages. I would use very common/familiar tasks (i.e. bicyle/dance/walk) for mobility training. The person with PD may not respond as well given the side effects of meds and the freezing issues associated with movement in the later stages. However, in early stages, I can use cueing and strength training to improve balance and gait. David A. Lehman, PhD, PT Associate Professor Tennessee State University Department of Physical Therapy 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd. Nashville, TN 37209 615-963-5946 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello: What differences if any do you all see in the way that Alzheimer's versus Parkinson's diseases manifest themselves in your clients? Are your treatment approaches different based solely on the disease? Thanks, Ron _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, visit: http://otnow.com/mailman/listinfo/otlist_otnow.com The OTnow Mail Archive: www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ==============================================
