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Parkinson's Disease
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Older Adults

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain, leading to symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and slowness of movement.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a type of movement disorder. It happens when nerve cells in the brain don't produce enough of a brain chemical called dopamine. Sometimes it is genetic, but most cases do not seem to run in families. Exposure to chemicals in the environment might play a role.

Symptoms begin gradually, often on one side of the body. Later they affect both sides. They include:

  • Trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
  • Stiffness of the arms, legs and trunk
  • Slowness of movement
  • Poor balance and coordination

As symptoms get worse, people with the disease may have trouble walking, talking, or doing simple tasks. They may also have problems such as depression, sleep problems, or trouble chewing, swallowing, or speaking.

There is no specific test for PD, so it can be difficult to diagnose. Doctors use a medical history and a neurological examination to diagnose it.

PD usually begins around age 60, but it can start earlier. It is more common in men than in women. There is no cure for PD. A variety of medicines sometimes help symptoms dramatically. Surgery and deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help severe cases. With DBS, electrodes are surgically implanted in the brain. They send electrical pulses to stimulate the parts of the brain that control movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Freezing of gait—the sudden, temporary inability to move the feet while walking—can be managed using external sensory cues. Helpful techniques include visual cueing (stepping over an imagined line, a laser pointer beam, or cracks in the pavement), auditory rhythmic pacing (counting out loud, marching to a metronome or rhythmic music), and shifting body weight from side to side before attempting to take a step rather than trying to force the foot forward.
Years before classic motor signs emerge, individuals often experience subtle non-motor symptoms. Common early warning signs include a diminished sense of smell (hyposmia), chronic constipation, acting out dreams during sleep (REM sleep behavior disorder), and subtle micrographia, where a person's handwriting becomes noticeably smaller and cramped.
DBS is typically considered for patients who have had Parkinson's disease for at least four years and who experience good symptom relief from levodopa, but struggle with motor fluctuations, such as severe 'off' periods or involuntary movements (dyskinesias), despite optimal medication adjustments. Candidates must undergo comprehensive neuropsychological testing to ensure they do not have significant cognitive impairment or severe depression, which can worsen after surgery.
Dietary proteins break down into amino acids that compete directly with levodopa for absorption in the small intestine and transport across the blood-brain barrier. Consuming high-protein meals at the same time as medication can significantly reduce its effectiveness. Clinicians often recommend taking levodopa 30 to 60 minutes before meals or adopting a protein redistribution diet, where protein intake is shifted primarily to the evening meal.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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