What is Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s disease is a motor system disorder that usually affects elderly patients, especially those over the age of 50. Parkinsonism occurs when the production of dopamine decreases in the brain. Dopamine is a brain chemical that is present as a neurotransmitter and a precursor of other substances including epinephrine; therefore as the amount of dopamine decreases, the body then fails to receive the right messages needed to move adequately. In the brain the degeneration of neurons occurs in the basal ganglia leading to tremors, weakness of muscles, and slowness in movements.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *