Spratt: I Have Parkinson’s Disease By Matt Garfield The Herald March 31st, 2010 Pg. 1A, 3A
S.C. 5
th District U.S. Rep. John Spratt announced on March 30
th, 2010 that he has Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that develops gradually and currently has no cure. Doctors reported that Spratt is in the early stages and therefore should not have any problem performing his job as none of his symptoms affects him mentally or physically. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease tend to get worse as the disease progresses but many other public figures have lived with it such as former Attorney General Janet Reno and boxer Muhammad Ali. Billy Graham was even able to still preach for years after he was diagnosed with the disease. Spratt still plans to run for a 15
th term and his challenger, Mick Mulvaney, said that the disease will not be an issue during the campaign as it is a personal matter between Spratt and his family and not of any political concern.
Psychology Links: The Biological Perspective & Psychological Disorders
I chose this article because it might help some of us who do not know anyone with a psychological disorder realize how widespread they are and how they affect all kinds of people- even famous ones. This article involved two parts we have covered in this course. Parkinson’s disease is a psychological disorder as discussed in Chapter 14 and it is caused by too little dopamine being released in a certain area of the brain as discussed in Chapter 2. While Parkinson’s can be inhibiting to those diagnosed when it is in later stages, Spratt’s is not that far yet so it is virtually undetectable.
Reflection
Do you know anyone personally with Parkinson's disease? How has it changed them (if you knew them before they were diagnosed)?
