Parkinson's is a progressive neurological condition affecting movements such as walking, talking, and writing. It is named after Dr James Parkinson (1755-1824), the London doctor who first identified Parkinson's as a specific condition.

Parkinson's occurs as result of a loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain known as the substantia nigra. These cells are responsible for producing a chemical known as dopamine, which allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that co-ordinate movement. With the depletion of dopamine-producing cells, these parts of the brain are unable to function normally.

Parkinsonism

The main symptoms of Parkinson's can also be symptoms of other disorders. Conditions that produce these symptoms are known collectively as parkinsonism. Parkinson's is the most common form of parkinsonism and is often referred to as "idiopathic Parkinson's disease" (this means of unknown cause). Other, less common, forms of parkinsonism include:

* multiple system atrophy (MSA)
* progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)

How many people have Parkinson's?

Parkinson's disease is found all over the world. Exact global figures are not always available, though it is estimated that 4 million people worldwide have the condition.

Generally, in the UK:

* One in 500 people, around 120,000 individuals, have Parkinson's.
* About 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed each year.
* Symptoms first appear, on average, when a patient is older than 50.
* One in 20 of those diagnosed each year will be aged under 40.
* Statistically, men are slightly more likely to develop Parkinson's than women.

Disease progression

The symptoms of Parkinson's usually begin slowly, develop gradually and in no particular order. It is important to remember that everyone with Parkinson's is very different and may have a different collection of symptoms and response to treatment.

The nature and severity of symptoms and the rate at which the condition progresses will also be individual. The symptoms may take years to progress to a point where they cause major problems and when they do, many of these symptoms can be treated.

There have been many advances in treatments for Parkinson's that can offer a much better quality of life to people with Parkinson's than was possible a few years ago. This trend is likely to continue.

Is there a cure for Parkinson's?

At present there is no cure for Parkinson's but researchers and scientists are steadily making advances in understanding the condition, its causes, and how best to treat it.

Current research

The Parkinson's Disease Society currently supports more than 90 dynamic research projects totalling over £14million across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

They invest £459 every hour of every day into research that fights Parkinson's.