Parkinson's Disease 

 

 

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease of the brain. It affects the producion of dopamine, a chemical that acts as a messenger between the parts of the brain and nervous system that help control and co-ordinate body movements.

 

In Parkinson's disease these cells become damaged, affecting the amount of dopamine produced. This prevents the brain from effectively controlling movements, resulting in them becoming slow and abnormal. Patients with Parkinson's disease can also develop a tremor or muscle spasticity.

 

This is a slow process, that occurs over a long period of time, and the symptoms of Parkinson's disease usually only start to develop when around 80% of the nerve cells have been lost. It is still unknown what causes this loss of nerve cells.

 

A person with Parkinson’s disease can also develop symptoms, including depression, constipation, problems sleeping (insomnia), loss of sense of smell and memory problems.