Parkinson’s is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects movement and is characterized by tremors, muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, and balance problems. It is characterized by the dysfunction or death of dopamine producing cells.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that functions in the brain's reward system, influencing motivation, pleasure, mood, learning, and movement.
Dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra (SN), a midbrain structure part of the basal ganglia, is the brain's primary (but not only) source of dopamine, essential for motor control, reward, and executive function. Specifically, the SN pars compacta (SNc) contains dopaminergic neurons that project to the striatum to facilitate voluntary movement.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive illness.
The risk of developing Parkinson's increases with age, with an average onset around age 65.
Men are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than are women
Symptoms typically begin on one side of the body, but eventually, the disease affects both sides. The disease affects movement, but it can also impact senses, thinking ability, and mental health.
