Parkinson’s Disease Overview

Dysfunction In Sense Of Smell

Dysfunction in the sense of smell commonly occurs with Parkinson's disease, though researchers are unsure why this is the case. Patients may begin losing their sense of smell long before they develop other Parkinson's disease symptoms. Some studies indicate that smell loss can be used to show individuals at a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. One theory on why Parkinson's disease may cause smell loss is that the degenerative process might start in both the gut and olfactory bulb. The olfactory bulb is the portion of the brain responsible for controlling the individual's ability to smell things. Since smell loss tends to occur slowly over time, many patients may not notice they have scent-related dysfunction until they are tested.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are especially common in Parkinson's disease patients. In one study, researchers found that the average individual with Parkinson's disease got only a little more than five hours of sleep each night. Most sleep researchers recommend at least eight hours of sleep nightly. Also, the average Parkinson's disease patient woke up twice as often throughout the night as similarly-aged adults without the disease. There are several reasons behind the decreased sleep. One is sleep apnea, which causes an affected individual to stop breathing temporarily during the night. Also commonly reported is insomnia, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Some Parkinson's patients wake up frequently, which disrupts the quality of sleep. Urinary issues can also impact sleep when individuals have to get up multiple times to urinate during the night. Some patients report vivid nightmares and dreams accompanied by physical movement because the brain is not sending signals to stay still during REM sleep. Finally, cognitive and mental issues related to Parkinson's disease, such as confusion, hallucinations, and delusions, can play a role in poor sleeping.