What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. This means that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.

About Parkinson’s

People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain because some of the nerve cells that make it have died.

Around 145,000 people live with Parkinson’s in the UK. And it’s the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

What is ‘Parkinson’s disease’?

Parkinsonism is a term that covers several conditions, including Parkinson’s and others with similar symptoms. Some, including healthcare professionals and people with the condition, call it Parkinson’s disease, or PD for short.

We call it Parkinson’s. We don’t use the word ‘disease’ because some people with Parkinson’s have told us it sounds negative, or like an infectious illness. But unlike the flu or measles, you can’t catch Parkinson’s from someone.

We don’t yet know exactly why people get Parkinson’s. Researchers think…