PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND DIAGNOSTIC STRATEGIES FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE: A LITERATURE REVIEW

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.813482417123

• Palavras-chave: Diagnosis. Neurological disease. Pathophysiology.

• Keywords: Diagnosis. Neurological disease. Pathophysiology.

• Abstract:

  INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that compromises dopaminergic neurons. The disease mainly affects the elderly, but can also occur before the age of 50. However, there is still no diagnostic method to guarantee an early diagnosis, which makes the disease's prognosis difficult. The aim of this study is therefore to describe Parkinson's disease and the possibilities for diagnosing it. METHODS: For this purpose, bibliographic research was carried out in the Google Scholar, Pubmed, SciELO, and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases, with articles dated 2016-2024, in English and Portuguese, using the following keywords: "Biomarkers", "Clinical Diagnosis", "Neuroimaging", "Pathophysiology", "Parkinson's Disease". RESULTS: The diagnostic methods used for PD consist of criteria and scales that assess the individual's motor functions at a clinical level. However, through neuroimaging techniques, it is possible to perceive a greater correlation of how the regions affected by the disease behave, managing to capture structural and functional components that help to understand the progression of Parkinson's disease. In addition, it is possible to see the prevalence of genes and proteins that function as biomarkers present in body fluids (blood, CSF and saliva), which suggest changes in the disease due to their high sensitivity and specificity during the course of PD.  Conclusion: Therefore, the evolution of research suggests that correlating clinical diagnosis, neuroimaging and biomarkers, brings great possibilities in the discovery of patients with PD, enabling the best therapeutic choices that can offer a better quality of life to individuals affected by this disease.