What is Parkinson's disease?
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Parkinson's
disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders.
Parkinson's and related disorders are the result of the loss of
dopamine-producing brain cells. Dopamine is a chemical messenger
responsible for transmitting signals within the brain. Parkinson's
disease occurs when certain nerve cells, or neurons, die or become
impaired. Normally, these neurons produce dopamine. Loss of dopamine
causes the nerve cells to fire out of control, leaving patients unable
to direct or control their movement in a normal manner. The four
primary symptoms of Parkinson's are tremor or trembling in hands, arms,
legs, jaw, and face; rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk;
bradykinesia, or slowness of movement; and postural instability or
impaired balance and coordination. Patients may also have difficulty
walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. The disease is both
chronic and progressive. Parkinson's is not usually inherited. Early
symptoms are subtle and occur gradually.
Parkinson's
disease is a progressive neurological disorder that results from
degeneration of neurons in a region of the brain that controls
movement. This degeneration creates a shortage of the brain signaling
chemical (neurotransmitter) known as dopamine, causing the movement
impairments that characterize the disease. Parkinson's disease was
first formally described in "An Essay on the Shaking Palsy," published
in 1817 by a London physician named James Parkinson, but it has
probably existed for many thousands of years. Its symptoms and
potential therapies were mentioned in the Ayurveda, the system of
medicine practiced in India as early as 5000 BC, and in the first Chinese medical text, Nei Jing, which appeared 2500 years ago.
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