| Parkinson’s disease is named after Dr James Parkinson (1755-1824), the doctor that first identified the condition.
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It is caused by the loss of brain cells (neurones) in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which produces the chemical messenger dopamine.
As the cells die, less dopamine is produced and transported to the striatum, the area of the brain that co-ordinates movement. Symptoms develop when about 80% of dopamine has been lost.
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| The reason that Parkinson’s disease develops is not known.
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| Approximately 4 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s disease. Around 120,000 people in the UK have the condition.
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| The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are tremor, slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and muscle stiffness or rigidity.
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| The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in June 2006.
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| There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but treatments can help control the symptoms and maintain quality of life.
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| Parkinson’s disease can be treated with a combination of drug treatments and other therapies, for example, speech therapy, physiotherapy.
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| The risk of developing Parkinson’s disease increases with age. Symptoms usually occur after the age of 50.
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