If you have ever walked into a nursing home, the chances are you have seen someone affected by Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is the second most common neurological syndrome in the U.S. characterized by tremor, hypokinesia, rigidity, and postural instability. This disease was named for Dr. James Parkinson, after he was the first to describe this “Shaking Palsey” that is a result of damage to the “black substance” in the brain we call the substania nigra.
In medicine, the term Parkinson’s disease is attributed to the syndrome when it results from an unknown cause. If someone develops “Parkinson’s” as a result of a known reason, like carbon monoxide poisoning or medication toxicity, then it should be referred to as Parkinsonian signs and symptoms.
“How about that…”
Just a little nice-to-know side for EMS workers, one of the most common causes of Parkinsonian signs and symptoms is the long term use of antipsychotics drugs such as Haldol.
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