Parkinson's was originally called a "shaking palsy". Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that causes a gradual loss of muscle control. This disease mostly affects older people but can also occur in younger adults. It usually begins between the ages of 50 and 65, striking about 1% of the population in that age group; it is slightly more common in men than in women.
Symptoms Symptoms of Parkinson's disease differ from person to person. Parkinson’s disease affects the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine. Parkinson’s disease symptoms include muscle rigidity, tremors, and changes in speech and gait. After diagnosis, treatments can help relieve symptoms, but there is no cure.
The incidence rate of Parkinson's disease in The Netherlands is estimated to be 11/100,000 person-years for men and 12/100,000 person-years for women. Risk factors for Parkinson's disease were investigated in a case-control study in which 86 cases, with the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease confirmed by a neurologist, were compared with 172 reference subjects, matched for age and gender.