How does Parkinson’s disease progress?
This will be different for each person, but generally speaking, Parkinson’s progresses gradually, with symptoms slowly getting worse over time. In the earlier stages of the disease, many people are able to carry out their dailyfunctions as normal.
Is Parkinson’s contagious?
No, Parkinson’s is not contagious. It can not be spread through close contact with an affected person.
Does Parkinson’s run in families?
Most people have what is called “idiopathic” Parkinson’s, meaning the cause is unknown. It is possible (although very uncommon) for people to pass Parkinson’s on to their children. However, specific genetic tests topredict this are not available at this time.
Who is at risk of getting Parkinson’s?
Increasing age is the biggest risk factor for developing Parkinson’s, and most people who get the disease are around 60 years or older. Parkinson’s,however, is not a respecter of age, and people who are much younger canget it as well.
The symptoms of Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is characterised by motor symptoms (those that affect movement) and non-motor symptoms (those that do not affectmovement). Motor symptoms The three primary motor symptoms of Parkinson’s are tremor, slow movement and rigidity. Although very common, it is important to note that not everyone with Parkinson’s will experience these symptoms. Tremor Uncontrollable shaking of a […]
What causes Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s happens when the cells that produce the brain chemical, dopamine, stop working properly and die prematurely. Other chemicals in the brain are also involved. Researchers are not certain what causes this to happen, but they suspect that genetic factors (like gene mutations) and environmental factors (like exposure to toxic chemicals), in addition to theageing […]