Also called: Also called: Paralysis agitans, Shaking palsy
Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells, or neurons, in a part of the brain that controls muscle movement. In Parkinson's, neurons that make a chemical called dopamine die or do not work properly. Dopamine normally sends signals that help coordinate your movements. No one knows what damages these cells. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease may include
- Trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
- Stiffness of the arms, legs and trunk
- Slowness of movement
- Poor balance and coordination
As symptoms get worse, people with the disease may have trouble walking, talking or doing simple tasks. They may also have problems such as depression, sleep problems or trouble chewing, swallowing or speaking.
Parkinson's usually begins around age 60, but it can start earlier. It is more common in men than in women. There is no cure for Parkinson's disease. A variety of medicines sometimes help symptoms dramatically.
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Parkinson's Disease
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/parkinsonsdisease/toc.html
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Parkinson's Disease
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/parkinsonsdisease/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/parkinsonsdiseasespanish/htm/index.htm -
Parkinson's Disease: Hope through Research
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/detail_parkinsons_disease.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/parkinson_disease_spanish.htm
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Parkinson's Disease(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/brain/disorders/187.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/brain/disorders/187.printerview.html
- Parkinson's Disease(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/parkinsons-disease/DS00295/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
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Parkinson's Disease(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm
- Parkinson's Disease(We Move) - http://www.wemove.org/par/
- Pain Is Common in Parkinson's Disease(09/19/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69473.html
- Common Symptoms of Parkinson's(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/symptoms
- Parkinson's Disease: Diagnosis(We Move) - http://www.wemove.org/par/par_dia.html
- Deep Brain Stimulation(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/deep%20brain%20stimulation.asp
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Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/deep_brain_stimulation/deep_brain_stimulation.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/estimulacion_cerebral_profunda.htm
- Medications for Parkinson's(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/meds_treatments
- Neupro Patch for Parkinson's Approved(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/neupro051407.html
- Parkinson's Disease: Nonpharmacologic Treatments(We Move) - http://www.wemove.org/par/par_nphm.html
- Parkinson's Disease: Treatment Options(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=227&srcid=244
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Parkinson Disease(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=413&srcid=375
- Nutrition and Parkinson's Disease: What Matters Most?(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/winter06_07_Nutrition_and_Parkinson
- Guide for the Newly Diagnosed(Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research) - http://www.michaeljfox.org/living_patientsAndCaregivers_guideForTheNewlyDiagnosed.cfm
- Living with Parkinson's Disease(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=228&srcid=244
- Maintaining Optimum Wellness(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=229&srcid=225
- Living with Parkinson's(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/living_pd
- Living with Parkinson's Disease(American Occupational Therapy Association) - http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Conditions/Parkinsons/35188.aspx
- Parkinson's Disease: Fitness Counts(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - Large PDF file - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Document.Doc?&id=55
- Physical and Occupational Therapy for Parkinson's Disease(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/2300/2323.asp?index=9383
- Activities of Daily Living: Practical Pointers for Parkinson Disease(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - Large PDF file - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Document.Doc?&id=63
- Driving When You Have Parkinson’s Disease(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Parkinsons%20Web/
- Gambling, Sex, and…Parkinson's Disease?(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/spring05_Gambling_Sex
- Gastrointestinal and Urinary Dysfunction in PD(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/spring07_gastrointestinal_and_urinary_dysfunction_in_pd
- Guide for Caregivers(Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research) - http://www.michaeljfox.org/living_patientsAndCaregivers_guideForCaregivers.cfm
- Living with Parkinson's Disease: Sleep Problems(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/parkinsons_disease/hic_living_with_parkinsons_disease_sleep_problems.aspx
- Pain in Parkinson's Disease(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/pain_pd
- Parenthood and Parkinson's Disease(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/winter02_03_Parenthood
- Parkinson's Disease: Speech and Swallowing(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - Large PDF file - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Document.Doc?&id=65
- Parkinson's Onboard: Traveling with PD(National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.) - http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?&pid=385&srcid=373
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Role of the Environment in Parkinson's Disease(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - Links to PDF - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/parkinson/docs/parkinson.pdf
- Skin Patch Delivers Dementia Drug(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/exelonpatch080307.html
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Parkinson's Disease(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/parkinsonsdisease/toc.html
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Parkinson's Disease(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/parkinsonsdisease/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/parkinsonsdiseasespanish/htm/index.htm
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Deep Brain Stimulation(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 5/28/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/vau_2319/rnh.cfm?id=735
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Life and Death of a Neuron(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/ninds_neuron.htm
- Disability Information(Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research) - http://www.michaeljfox.org/living_additionalResources_disabilityInformation.cfm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Parkinson Disease(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Parkinson+Disease%22
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Genetics Home Reference: Parkinson disease(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=parkinsondisease
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Learning about Parkinson's Disease(National Human Genome Research Institute) - http://www.genome.gov/page.cfm?pageID=10001217
- Can Thickened Liquids or Chin-Down Posture Prevent Aspiration?(American College of Physicians) - http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/148/7/I-39
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Innovative Voice Treatment Gives People with Parkinson's Disease a Voice(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/inside/fall06/pg1.asp
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Parkinson's Disease(National Institutes of Health) - Links to PDF - http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/parkinsons.pdf
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Parkinson's Disease: Challenges, Progress, and Promise(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_research.htm
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Study Identifies Possible Trigger for Parkinson's Disease(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/news_article_Parkinson_autophagy.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Elaine Riat. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18782942&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Pain as a nonmotor symptom of Parkinson disease: evidence from... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18779422&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Measuring free-living physical activity in adults with and without neurologic... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18760161&tool=MedlinePlus
- Parkinson's Disease -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=parkinson+disease[majr]+NOT+(parkinson+disease/etiology[majr]+OR+parkinson+disease/genetics[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Causes of Parkinson's disease -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(parkinson+disease/genetics[majr]+OR+parkinson+disease/etiology[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Terms(We Move) - http://www.wemove.org/glossary/
- Glossary: Basic Explanations of Parkinson's Words and Terms(Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research) - http://www.michaeljfox.org/living_additionalResources_glossary.cfm
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- National Parkinson Foundation, Inc. - http://www.parkinson.org/
- Parkinson's Disease Foundation - http://www.pdf.org/
- We Move - http://www.wemove.org/
- Parkinson's Disease Foundation Newsletter(Parkinson's Disease Foundation) - http://www.pdf.org/en/pdf_newsletter
- Parkinson's Disease(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/conditions/parkinson.html
- Movement Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/movementdisorders.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Parkinson's Disease is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Parkinson's Disease - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/parkinsonsdisease.html