What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, neurological disease that mainly affects movement but can also affect cognition. Parkinson’s disease results from the destruction of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia. The four primary symptoms of PD 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. As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks. PD usually affects people over the age of 60. Parkinson’s disease, documented in 1817 by physician James Parkinson, is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. Estimates regarding the number of people in the United States with Parkinson’s range from 500,000 to 1,500,000, with 50,000 to 60,000 new cases reported annually. No objective test for Parkinson’s disease exists, so the misdiagnosis rate can be high, especially when a professional who doesn’t regularly work with the disease makes the diagnosis.

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