At Spotlight YOPD, we believe that knowledge is power and would like all Parkies to be in a position to make informed decisions as to their health and wellbeing. While a cure may still be proving itself elusive, there is much that the individual can do to manage their own symptoms and improve their quality of life.We know that one size does not fit all – so urge Parkies to work collaboratively with their neurologist, PD nurses and fellow Parkies to find out what works for them. Ask questions, make notes, keep a diary, track your good days and bad, look for patterns – help find the solutions to your specific problems and manage your PD and your life better.
We want this site to be as user-friendly as possible and have tried to keep to plain English. However, there are some biological and medical terms without a layman’s alternative. We have included them in the glossary below – along with other words that may be relevant to PD.
Remember PD – is a very individual condition – so symptoms listed may not affect everyone diagnosed. Similarly, what works well for one person in managing their symptoms may not work for someone else.
Please email us with suggested addition and/or corrections.
Apathy
For a website and charity that’s all about Parkies helping themselves, apathy – a side effect of the condition is a tricky non-motor symptom to cover off. In fact, we’re not sure we can be bothered…
Just kidding – apathy is defined as a lack of interest, emotion and motivation. Common in patients with stroke, Parkinson’s disease (PD), traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and depression.
There’s little info out there specific to Young Onset and apathy. It tends to sit alongside fatigue and depression and can be tricky to differentiate. We know PD is caused by reduced dopamine – the chemical that makes us strive to achieve.
