Diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson disease: molecules to medicine

Parkinson disease (PD) is a relatively common disorder of the nervous system that afflicts patients later in life with tremor, slowness of movement, gait instability, and rigidity. Treatment of these cardinal features of the disease is a success story of modern science and medicine, as a great deal of disability can be alleviated through the pharmacological correction of brain dopamine deficiency. Unfortunately these therapies only provide temporary, though significant, relief from early symptoms and do not halt disease progression. In addition, pathological changes outside of the motor system leading to cognitive, autonomic, and psychiatric symptoms are not sufficiently treated by current therapies. Much as…

• MJ
  Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
• NP
  National Parkinson Foundation
• JH
  Johns Hopkins University
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: NS38377
• P
  Parkinsonfonden
• NI
  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

  Award: NS38377