Question

You should most highly suspect that a patient with tremors, periodic muscular rigidity, slowed movement, and impaired balance and coordination suffers from:

A) peripheral neuralgia.

B) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

C) autonomic dysreflexia.

D) Parkinson's disease.

Answer 1

A patient displaying tremors, muscular rigidity, slowed movement, and impaired balance and coordination is most likely suffering from Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative condition caused by the degeneration of dopamine-secreting neurons in the midbrain.

Step-by-step explanation:

You should most highly suspect that a patient with tremors, periodic muscular rigidity, slowed movement, and impaired balance and coordination suffers from Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, a midbrain structure that regulates movement. The progressive loss of these neurons leads to the characteristic motor symptoms such as resting tremors, bradykinesia, and postural instability.

Parkinson's disease can also manifest non-motor symptoms, including depression and, in later stages, dementia. Characteristic physical symptoms include a slow, hunched shuffling walk and balance difficulties, which can significantly impair quality of life.

Among the options presented, peripheral neuralgia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and autonomic dysreflexia do not present with the same hallmark combination of symptoms as Parkinson's disease does. Furthermore, Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative condition affecting approximately 50,000-60,000 people in the United States annually.