History of Parkinson's disease

History of Parkinson's disease is a topic that covers the historical development and understanding of Parkinson's disease, a long-term degenerative disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms generally come on slowly over time, and early in the disease, the most obvious symptoms are shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with walking.

Early History[edit | edit source]

The first clear medical description of Parkinson's disease was written in 1817 by James Parkinson, a London doctor, in his Essay on the Shaking Palsy. However, there are descriptions of people with symptoms of the disease that date back to ancient times. In the Essay, Parkinson described the characteristic resting tremor, abnormal posture and gait, paralysis and diminished muscle strength, and the way the disease progresses over time.

19th and 20th Centuries[edit | edit source]

In the 19th and 20th centuries, understanding of Parkinson's disease advanced due to work by Jean-Martin Charcot, who differentiated between Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders. In the 1960s, the biochemical changes in the brain of patients were identified, largely due to the work of Arvid Carlsson, who later went on to win a Nobel Prize for his research.

Modern Understanding[edit | edit source]

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the understanding of Parkinson's disease has continued to increase. Genetic and environmental factors have been identified, and treatments have been developed that manage the symptoms of the disease, although there is currently no cure.

References[edit | edit source]

History of Parkinson's disease Resources
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