Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, that arises from the loss of neurons that produce dopamine, which is an important neurotransmitter in the brain. The result is a long-term, progressive decline in motor function, accompanied with additional non-motor symptoms. Motor symptoms are caused by the death of neurons that normally produce dopamine in the substantia nigra, a deep structure in the brain called the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia is not one location in the brain, but instead is a “circuit” of interconnected brain regions associated with a range of functions, including voluntary movement. The cause of death of the dopaminergic neurons is unknown, but thought to arise from the mis-folding of proteins. Although primarily associated with motor symptoms, Parkinson’s disease also can affect various cognitive processes and induce depression and anxiety, as well as disrupt normal sleep.
There is a wealth of information available regarding Parkinson’s disease in the scientific community, including the below publicly available lectures, and published articles:
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, that arises from the loss of neurons that produce dopamine, which is an important neurotransmitter in the brain. The result is a long-term, progressive decline in motor function, accompanied with additional non-motor symptoms. Motor symptoms are caused by the death of neurons that normally produce dopamine in the substantia nigra, a deep structure in the brain called the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia is not one location in the brain, but instead is a “circuit” of interconnected brain regions associated with a range of functions, including voluntary movement. The cause of death of the dopaminergic neurons is unknown, but thought to arise from the mis-folding of proteins. Although primarily associated with motor symptoms, Parkinson’s disease also can affect various cognitive processes and induce depression and anxiety, as well as disrupt normal sleep.