From this module you will learn:
- What causes Parkinson’s disease
- About the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease
- How Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed
- What advice to give to someone who has been newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
Download a printable PDF of this module – including the five-minute test – here.
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disease in which parts of the brain become damaged, preventing the ability to control movement properly.
What causes Parkinson’s disease?
In Parkinson’s disease, the neurons (nerve cells) that produce dopamine are destroyed or damaged. This primarily happens in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, located within the basal ganglia.(1) Dopamine is a chemical messenger that transmits signals in the brain from one neuron to another,
