Parkinsons disease Parkinsons Disease Parkinsons disease is believed to affect over a half million people in the United States, rarely affecting people under the age of 40. There has been no difference found in incidence between men and women. Parkinsons is a chronic disease in which certain brain cells called neurons deteriorate. The reason for this process is not known. These neurons are important because they reproduce a substance called dopamine.
Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that helps control the body's muscle activity.
When these neurons are destroyed, dopamine is not produced at the normal rate. There are other neurological disorders that may cause these symptoms. These disorders may be referred to as Parkinsons syndrome, Atypical Parkinsons or Parkinsonism Plus. Parkinsonian symptoms may be caused by tumors in the brain, repeated head trauma, prolonged use of tranquilizing drugs, and with manganese and carbon monoxide poisoning. Currently, there are no specific diagnostic test for Parkinsons, however there are methods to evaluate for the disease.