Learning Objectives
By completing this course the healthcare professional will be able

1. Identify the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease as well as the symptoms that commonly occur in the disease
2. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease
3. Differentiate between diseases that are similar to Parkinson’s disease or have similar features
4. Discuss the current treatment options for Parkinson’s disease
5. Recognize the different staging scales used in Parkinson’s disease
6. Identify the common psychiatric illnesses that can coexist with Parkinson’s disease
7. Recognize and discuss some of the struggles that patients and caregivers face

Parkinson's Disease Course Description:
Parkinson's disease is neurodegenerative disorder that causes difficulties with movement and behavior that become progressively worse over time. It is one of the most common neurological disorders and usually begins to affect patients in their sixties. Parkinson's disease causes several characteristic symptoms including a resting tremor, cogwheel rigidity, bradykinesia (poverty of movement) and postural instability. Many of the neurological problems associated with Parkinson's disease can be linking to the destruction of dopamine-containing neurons in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra. While there are various treatments for the symptoms of the disease, there is no cure. Patients with Parkinson's disease and their families face unique challenges and require the help of medical professionals from many different fields and specialties.
The following topics will be discussed in this training:

• Early manifestations of the disease
• Cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease
• Associated symptoms of Parkinson's disease
• Psychiatric features that coexist
• Incidence and prevalence of the disease
• Basic neurobiology of the basal ganglia
• Pathophysiology of the disease
• Environmental and genetic causes of the disease
• Some Parkinson's disease models
• Differentiation between Parkinson's disease and similar illnesses
• Medical treatment options
  • Levodopa
  • MAO-B inhibitors
  • COMT inhibitors
  • Dopamine agonists
  • Amantadine
  • Anticholinergics
  • Disease-modifying agents
• Surgical treatment options
  • Ablation therapy
  • Deep brain stimulation
  • Transplantation
• Rehabilitation
• Disease rating scales
  • UPDRS
  • Hoehn and Yahr Staging
  • Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living
• Diet and nutrition
• Stages of grief and reaction to the diagnosis
• Work and Life Adjustments