Yazman

In researching Parkinson’s Disease I found (and refer interested readers to) the National Parkinson’s Foundation website at http://www.parkinson.org.  

Parkinson’s Disease occurs as a result of the loss of neurons in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra.  These cells produce dopamine in a healthy individual which is vital to smooth and coordinated muscle movements.  Around the loss of 80% of these neurons the following indicators of the disease appear:

-Difficulty with balance

-Tremors

-Rigidity

-Slowness of movement.

According to the NPF website the main determining factor for this disease is age, though it crosses all economic, social and gender divides.  Roughly 15% of those with the disease are under the age of 50.  

Detection of Parkinson’s Disease is difficult initially as most often it is only detectable via the use of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine or MRI which is used by neurologists to map the human brain.  Medicines may be prescribed to either replace or mimic the role of dopamine to stave off the effects of the disease, but only newly developed remedies promise to actually slow its progression.  Some patients opt for a brain surgery to attempt to fight the disease but the surgery itself poses many dangers to patients and is not a guarantee at full recovery.  

The NPD estimates that 1 in 100 people over the age of 60 suffer from this disease, with 60 being the average age of onset in most patients.