PARKINSON'S DISEASE  
  Definition  
 

A disorder associated with damage to a part of the brain that controls muscle movement characterised by shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, and co-ordination.

 
  BACKGROUND - What is Parkinson's Disease?  
 

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurological condition named after
Dr. James Parkinson, a London physician who was the first to describe the syndrome in 1817. It is a slowly progressive disease that affects a small area of cells in the mid-brain that controls muscle movement known as the substantia nigra. Gradual degeneration of these cells causes a reduction in a vital chemical known as dopamine which is one of the substances used by cells to transmit impulses (transmitters), and which is normally produced in this area. The exact reason that the cells of the brain deteriorate is unknown. Insufficient dopamine disturbs the balance between dopamine and other transmitters, such as acetylcholine. Without dopamine, the nerve cells cannot properly transmit messages, and this results in the loss of muscle function. The disorder may affect one or both sides of the body, with varying degrees of loss of function, and can produce one or more of the classic signs of Parkinson's disease:

 
 
1 resting tremor on one side of the body;  
2 generalised slowness of movement (bradykinesia);  
3 stiffness of limbs (rigidity); and  
4 gait or balance problems (postural dysfunction).  
     
 
  PREVALENCE - Is this a rare disease?  
 

Parkinson's affects both men and women of all races and is one of the most common neurologic disorders of the elderly. It most often (85% cases) develops after age 50 and so is generally considered a disease which targets older adults.

  
 

It affects approximately 2 out of 1,000 people, but one of every 100 persons (1%) over the age of 60. It is estimated that up to 1.5 million N. Americans are affected, more persons than those suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy combined. Parkinson's disease is rare in children, and when present appears to be due to decreased sensitivity of the nerves to dopamine rather than deterioration of the area of the brain that produces dopamine.

 
  Thanks to increased awareness, public health strides and healthier lifestyle choices, many people now live well into their eighties, and while there is as yet no cure for this condition, progressive treatments allow many patients to maintain a high level of function throughout their lifetimes. It is important to note that Parkinson's disease is not in itself a fatal illness.  
  CAUSE - What causes Parkinson's Disease?  
 

Most people who develop symptoms of primary Parkinson's disease have 'Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease', meaning the aetiology or exact cause is unknown. Many patients attempt to link the onset of Parkinson symptoms with some acute trauma...an accident, illness, or extreme emotional distress, but most neurologists discount any direct link, and there is also no proven genetic link.

  
 

The term "parkinsonism" refers to any condition that involves a combination of the types of changes in movement seen in Parkinson's disease, which is the most common condition causing this group of symptoms. Parkinsonism may be caused by other disorders or by external factors (secondary parkinsonism).

 
 
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