Introduction

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance. Parkinson's disease is referred to as idiopathic, which means that the cause is unknown. This term distinguishes the primary disease from parkinsonism, which are the symptoms occurring from a known cause.In addition to its effects on motor control, Parkinson's disease is now recognized as a broader condition that can include cognitive and behavioral disturbances, sleep disorders, speech difficulties, and other problems.

Parkinson's Disease and Dopamine Loss

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Parkinson's disease occurs from the following process in the brain:

• PD develops as cells are destroyed in certain parts of the brain stem, particularly the crescent-shaped cell mass known as the substantia nigra.

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive disorder that affects movement, muscle control, and balance. Part of the disease process develops as cells are destroyed in certain parts of the brain stem, particularly the crescent-shaped cell mass known as the substantia nigra. Nerve cells in the substantia nigra send out fibers to tissue located in both sides of the brain. There the cells release essential neurotransmitters that help control movement and coordination.

• Nerve cells in the substantia nigra send out fibers to the corpus stratia, gray and white bands of tissue located in both sides of the brain.
• There the cells release dopamine, an essential neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger in the brain). Loss of dopamine in the corpus stratia is the primary defect in Parkinson's disease.