Translator Reviews ( Japanese → English )

Japanese

パーキンソン病は，脳のなかでドーパミンを分泌するニューロンが死滅することによって生じる。手足がふるえる，体がこわばるといった症状の出るこの病気の治療の第一選択は，L-ドーパをはじめとする薬物療法（DBS）だ。最近では脳の深部に電極を刺し，胸部に埋め込んだパルス発生器からの信号で刺激する治療法もあり，80％以上の症例で症状が改善するか薬の量を減らせるようになっている。　ところが，これらの方法で症状は改善できても，ドーパミン産生ニューロンが死んでいくのを食い止めることはできない。

English

Parkinson's disease is due to the death of the neurons in the brain which are responsible for the secretion of dopamine. The first choice for treating this condition, which causes sufferers' hands to shake, and a stiffening of the body, is L-DOPA, coupled with other pharmaceutical treatments and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). DBS is a recent advance, and involves inserting electrodes into the deep brain and stimulating it using a an electronic device installed in the chest, resulting in a reduction of symptoms as well as the amount of medication required in more than 80% of cases. However, even though symptoms can be reduced by this method, the deterioration of the dopamine producing neurons does not stop.