Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder – symptoms get progressively worse over time. Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease. The cause is unknown, but the incidences of the disease increase with age.
Parkinson’s disease occurs when a group of cells in an area of the brain begin to malfunction and die. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter. Messages from the brain, telling the body how and when to move, are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements. When a person has Parkinson’s disease, their dopamine - producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements.
Parkinson’s disease can also cause several different symptoms. The specific group of symptoms that an individual experiences varies from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are:
- tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
- rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
- bradykinesia or slowness of movement
- postural instability or impaired balance and coordination
- impaired speech
- depression and dementia
The tulip is recognized as the worldwide symbol of Parkinson’s Disease