1 million people may be living with Parkinson’s disease in the United States. This long-term degenerative disorder results from damage to nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine.As the symptoms of Parkinson’s develop, a person may first experience a tremor in one hand and stiffness elsewhere in the body.
The four key symptoms are:Ultimately, a person experiences problems maintaining balance, and some people with Parkinson’s also develop dementia.
Certain people only develop motor symptoms and others have cognitive symptoms, and doctors are still unsure why this is.Some people refer to dopamine as the “feel-good” hormone or chemical messenger.