Parkinson’s Disease

A chronic, slowly progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system that affects between one and one-and-a-half million Americans. Parkinson’s Disease can affect people of all ages, but it is uncommon in people younger than 30 and the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease increases with age. Men are affected slightly more often than women.

It is characterized clinically by the combination of slowness of movement (bradykinesia), tremor, rigidity, and stooped posture. Such abnormalities are thought to result from progressive loss of nerve cells within a certain region of the substantia nigra of the brain and the depletion of the neurotransmitter dopamine.