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The following information is taken from the Parkinson's Disease Society website (www.parkinsons.org.uk):
Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition affecting movements such as walking, talking, and writing. It is named after Dr. James Parkinson (1755-1824), the London doctor who first identified Parkinson's as a specific condition.
Parkinson's occurs as result of a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain known as the substantia nigra. These cells are responsible for producing a chemical known as dopamine, which allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement. With the depletion of dopamine-producing cells, these parts of the brain are unable to function normally.
The symptoms of Parkinson's can be classified as motor and non-motor. Motor symptoms define Parkinson's, with three primary features:
• Tremor - which usually begins in one hand. This is the first symptom for 70% of people with Parkinson's
• Slowness of movement (bradykinesia) - people with Parkinson's may find that they have difficulty initiating movements or that performing movements takes longer.
• Stiffness or rigidity of muscles - problems with activities such as standing up from a chair or rolling over in bed may be experienced.
Parkinson's is found all over the world. Exact global figures are not always available, though it is estimated that four million people worldwide have the condition.
Generally, in the UK:
• one in 500 people, around 120,000 individuals have Parkinson's
• about 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed each year
• symptoms first appear, on average, when a patient is older than 50
• one in 20 of those diagnosed each year will be aged under 40 years, around 6000 people under 40 are living with the disease.
The risk of developing Parkinson's increases with age, and symptoms often appear after the age of 50. Some people may not be diagnosed until they are in their 70s or 80s. However, in some cases Parkinson's is diagnosed before the age of 40, and this is known as young-onset Parkinson's disease.
The symptoms of Parkinson's usually begin slowly, develop gradually and in no particular order. It is important to remember that everyone with Parkinson's is very different and may have a different collection of symptoms and response to treatment.
The nature and severity of symptoms and the rate at which the condition progresses will also be individual. The symptoms may take years to progress to a point where they cause major problems and when they do, many of these symptoms can be treated.
There have been many advances in treatments for Parkinson's that can offer a much better quality of life to people with Parkinson's than was possible a few years ago. This trend is likely to continue.
At present there is no cure for Parkinson's but researchers and scientists are steadily making advances in understanding the condition, its causes, and how best to treat it.
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