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Substantia nigra and Parkinson's disease Central nervous system
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Parkinson’s disease
Alternative Names: Paralysis agitans; Shaking palsy Symptoms: Muscle rigidity Stiffness Difficulty bending arms or legs Unstable, stooped, or slumped-over posture Loss of balance Gait (walking pattern) changes Shuffling walk Slow movements Difficulty initiating any voluntary movement Difficulty beginning to walk Difficulty getting up from a chair Small steps followed by the need to run to maintain balance Freezing of movement when the movement is stopped, inability to resume movement Muscle aches and pains (myalgia) Shaking, tremors (varying degrees, may not be present) Characteristically occur at rest, may occur at any time May become severe enough to interfere with activities May be worse when tired, excited, or stressed Finger-thumb rubbing (pill-rolling tremor) may be present Changes in facial expression Reduced ability to show facial expressions "Mask" appearance to face Staring May be unable to close mouth Reduced rate of blinking Voice or speech changes Slow speech Low volume Monotone Difficulty speaking Loss of fine motor skills Difficulty writing, may be small and illegible Difficulty eating Difficulty with any activity that requires small movements Uncontrolled, slow movement Frequent falls Decline in intellectual function (may occur, can be severe) A variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, mainly constipation. Text Continues Below Note: Initial symptoms may be mild and nonspecific, for instance, a mild tremor or a slight feeling that one leg or foot is stiff and dragging. Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>