What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive movement disorder that affects the lives of approximately one million people across the United States. That number is climbing. Approximately 60,000 new cases of PD are diagnosed each year in the US. It’s estimated 1.2 million people in the the US and nearly seven million worldwide will be living with PD by 2030.

The average onset of characteristic motor symptoms, which are initially subtle and impact purposeful movement, occurs in the sixth decade; however, approximately six percent of Americans are diagnosed under the age of 40. People with PD also experience significant non-motor symptoms including changes in cognition and mood, sleep disturbances, and autonomic dysfunction. In short, a person afflicted with PD may lose their ability to walk, eat, think…lose their ability to function.