Africa-Press – Cape verde. A study carried out in 2021 by the neurology team at Agostinho Neto Hospital revealed the existence of 73 patients diagnosed with movement disorders (MDD) in Cape Verde, 44 of whom were male and 29 were female.
The data was provided by the neurologist at Agostinho Neto University Hospital (HUAN), Antónia Fortes, in an interview with Inforpress, on the occasion of World Movement Disorders Day, which is celebrated today, November 29.
According to Antónia Fortes, the patients analyzed were aged between 34 and 87 years old and the diagnoses were made based on the criteria of the International Movement Disorders Society.
As she explained, movement disorders are a group of neurological conditions that affect the ability to produce and control voluntary movements that are generally degenerative and slowly progressive and affect specific areas of the brain.
According to the neurologist, the main movement disorders include Parkinson’s disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, multisystem atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, Huntington’s disease, Wilson’s disease, hemiballismus and athetosis.
The study found that 67 patients (84.4%) had Parkinson’s disease and four (5.19%) had probable Parkinson’s, two (2.6%) were diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy and four (5.1%) had Huntington’s chorea.
In terms of symptoms, Antónia Fortes explained that they are divided into two groups, motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms.
“Motor symptoms include tremors that can be at rest (in the case of Parkinson’s disease) or in action, rigidity, that is, increased muscle tone, identification of voluntary movements and difficulty maintaining balance,” she pointed out.
As for non-motor symptoms, this specialist indicated depression, reduced or loss of smell, sleep disorders, and changes in bowel habits (difficulty controlling urine).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that around 1% of the world’s population over the age of 60 may develop movement disorders, in this case Parkinson’s.
Antónia Fortes suggested that elderly people should maintain an active life with healthy habits, including controlling chronic diseases, eating a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and exercising regularly.
The neurologist also reported that there is no cure for this group of diseases, however, she stressed that there are medications that can reduce and delay the progression of these diseases.
“In some cases when medication is not effective, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery may be considered,” she explained.
She added that the diagnosis is still based on the patient’s clinical history, neurological examination, and imaging tests such as cranial resonance imaging.
For this specialist, it is important to celebrate World Movement Disorders Day, in order to raise awareness of the need for timely diagnosis and referral to health professionals with experience in treating these diseases.
World Movement Disorders Day is celebrated annually on November 29.
The date, chosen in honor of the French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, aims to inform and raise awareness about movement disorders, facilitating access to treatments and health professionals.
This year, to mark the event, the Movement Disorders Foundation in Cape Verde (DDM-CV), together with the Inter-Support Group, organized a lecture at the Senior University of Cape Verde with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of a healthy life for the elderly population.
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