April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing knowledge about the disease and finding a cure. Below are some facts about Parkinson’s.
An estimated 1 million people in the United States and 10 million people worldwide have Parkinson’s. These figures are expected to double by 2050.
James Parkinson, an English surgeon-apothecary, described Parkinson’s in 1817 in An Essay on Shaking Palsy based on his observations of six individuals.
Jean-Martin Charcot, a French neurologist, named the disease after James Parkinson in 1872. Charcot is credited for identifying multiple sclerosis (MS) and defining amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Men are 1.5 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s in certain regions.
Early symptoms of Parkinson’ disease include small handwriting and loss of sense of smell of particular items that include bananas, pickles, and licorice.
Some common movement symptoms of Parkinson’s include slowness, tremor, rigidity, and posture instability.
Some common nonmovement symptoms of Parkinson’s include hallucinations, delusions, fatigue, cognitive changes, mood disorders, and sleep disorders.
Many research documents incorrectly display photographs of James Parkinson. Some erroneous photographs are actually images of James Cumine Parkinson (a lighthouse keeper), James Parkinson (the first treasurer of the British Dental Association) and William James (an American psychologist and philosopher). The world’s first photograph recorded in history was taken by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1826 or 1827; Parkinson died in 1824.
Van der Wereld, a Dutch horticulturist and Parkinson’s patient, is credited for the tulip symbol associated with Parkinson’s to represent hope, strength, and unity needed to fight the neurological condition.
Visit the websites below for additional facts, donor information, and resources that include guides for talking with children about Parkinson's.
Homepage | Parkinson's Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research | Parkinson's Disease
Welcome to APDA. We're here for you. | American Parkinson Disease Association