Parkinson's Disease

Q. What is Parkinson's?
A. Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disorder affecting learned voluntary movements such as walking, talking, writing and swallowing which is caused by a loss of dopamine in the brain.

Q. What are the main symptoms of Parkinson's?
A. There are three main symptoms but not everyone experiences all three, they are tremor, rigidity and slowness of movement.

Q. Who is affected by Parkinson's?
A. More men that women are affected and around one in five hundred of the general population is affected. The risk of developing Parkinson's disease increases with age.

Q. What causes Parkinson's?
A. The cause is unknown and there is no known cure. When about 80% of the dopamine in the brain is lost the symptoms of Parkinson's appear and the levels will continue to fall slowly over time unless treated.

Q. Is there medical treatment for Parkinson's?
A. Yes, if you speak to the Consultant Neurologist they will put you on a programme of treatment to relieve the symptoms if appropriate.

Q. Who can I contact for information about Parkinson's?
A. The PDS National Office
Address: 215 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London. SW1V 1EJ
Telephone: 20 7931 8080 or helpline number 0808 800 0303
Email:enquiries@parkinsons.org.uk
Website: www.parkinsons.org.uk

Parkinson's UK North East Regional Team