• What is Parkinson's disease?
• Who gets P.D?
• Causes of P.D
• Symptoms
• Alternative treatment for P.D
• The root cause of Parkinson's Disease - and how to reverse it
• Understanding of P.D
| Additional Information: |
What is Parkinson's disease?
Parkinson's disease Is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system. It is a chronic, slowly progressing and often debilitating disease which ultimately affects the mind and personality Clinically, the disease is characterized by a decrease in spontaneous movements, gait difficulty, postural instability, rigidity and tremor. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease may include:
- Trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
- Stiffness of the arms, legs and trunk
- Slowness of movement
- Poor balance and coordination
As symptoms get worse, people with the disease may have trouble walking, talking or doing simple tasks. They may also have problems such as depression, sleep problems or trouble chewing, swallowing or speaking. Read more
Parkinson's disease is caused by the degeneration of the pigmented neurons in the Substantia Nigra of the brain, resulting in decreased dopamine availability. The major symptoms of the disease were originally described in 1817 by an English physician, Dr. James Parkinson, who called it "Shaking Palsy." For the next century and a half, scientists pursued the causes and treatment of the disease. They defined its range of symptoms, distribution among the population, and prospects for cure.
In the early 1960s, researchers identified a fundamental brain defect that is a hallmark of the disease: the loss of brain cells that produce a chemical-dopamine-that helps direct muscle activity. This discovery pointed to the first successful treatment for Parkinson's disease and suggested ways of devising new and even more effective therapies.