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Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor and non-motor symptoms. The reason why it is described as a progressive neurodegenerative disorder is because over time the deterioration of neurons in the brain increases which causes the disease to become more severe over time.

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Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurological disease in Australia, with an estimated 100,000 individuals suffering from it. The average age of onset for this disease is 60, however some people can be diagnosed as early as 40 years of age.

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Parkinson's disease results from the degeneration of neurons over time in the Substantia Nigra. This is an area of the midbrain which is responsible for the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Hence, Parkinson's disease occurs as a result of lowered levels of dopamine in the nervous system.

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The central nervous system is the area of the body that causes the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, as the Substantia Nigra is located in the midbrain. When the Substantia Nigra produces an insufficient amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine, messages from the central nervous cannot travel to the peripheral nervous system to bring about a response.

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Motor symptoms:
- Tremors are involuntary shakes that are most commonly seen in the hands
- Rigidity is a stiffness of the muscles
-  Slow movement due to the difficulty of initiating voluntary motor movement which causes shuffling steps
-  Postural instability which can also cause the difficulty to balance

Non-motor symptoms:
- Difficulty smelling
- Sleep disturbances
- Depression
- Dementia

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There is no cure for Parkinson's disease as it is a degenerative condition, however, medication can be taken to reduce the symptoms of the disease. The main form of treatment aims to increase the levels of dopamine in the nervous system by providing the person with Levodopa which is converted into dopamine in the brain. This provides the patient with short term relief from the symptoms, but can worsen the effects of the disease over time.

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The psychological experience of motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease can be extremely stressful and frustrating. This frustration of being unable to move you body in a particular way or having to deal with the constant shaking of a particular body part can often worsen the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease especially depression.

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- How close are scientists to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease?
- Is is hereditary?
- How long does it take for all motor movement to become impaired?