Also called: Paralysis agitans · Shaking palsy
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a type of movement disorder. It happens when nerve cells in the brain don't produce enough of a brain chemical called dopamine. Sometimes it is genetic, but most cases do not seem to run in families. Exposure to chemicals in the environment might play a role.
Symptoms begin gradually, often on one side of the body. Later they affect both sides. They include:
- Trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
- Stiffness of the arms, legs and trunk
- Slowness of movement
- Poor balance and coordination
As symptoms get worse, people with the disease may have trouble walking, talking, or doing simple tasks. They may also have problems such as depression, sleep problems, or trouble chewing, swallowing, or speaking.
There is no specific test for PD, so it can be difficult to diagnose. Doctors use a medical history and a neurological examination to diagnose it.
PD usually begins around age 60, but it can start earlier. It is more common in men than in women. There is no cure for PD. A variety of medicines sometimes help symptoms dramatically. Surgery and deep brain stimulation (DBS) can help severe cases. With DBS, electrodes are surgically implanted in the brain. They send electrical pulses to stimulate the parts of the brain that control movement.
It sits within Older Adults and Brain and Nerves.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Parkinson's Disease
3,896 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Music Therapy in Parkinson's DiseaseSiegward -M. Elsas
- A Phase 2 Study and Open-Label Extension of NEU-411 in Companion Diagnostic-Positive Participants With Early Parkinson's DiseaseNeuron23 Inc.
- Parkinson's Research In Metagenomic Early Stage BiomarkersIRCCS San Raffaele Roma
- Study of Transanal Irrigation vs Standard Care for Constipation, Gut Microbiota, and Motor Disorders in Parkinson's DiseaseUniversity Hospital of Ferrara
- Phase I/II Clinical Trial of UX-DA003 Injection for the Treatment of Patients With Parkinson's DiseaseShanghai UniXell Biotechnology Co., Ltd
- Moderate Versus High Volume Light-Moderate Intensity Exercise for People With Moderate Parkinson's DiseaseVA Office of Research and Development
Research already completed
- Endurance Exercise & Virtual Reality for Optimizing Cortical Excitability and Neuroplasticity in PDThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Adapted Physical Activity and Tango-Based Therapy for Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot StudyUniversity of Foggia
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's DiseaseThe First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University
- Clinical Laboratory Evaluation of Chronic Autonomic FailureNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Parkinson's DiseaseMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Symptoms
- Movement SymptomsParkinson's Foundation
- Non-Movement SymptomsParkinson's Foundation
Diagnosis and Tests
- Getting DiagnosedParkinson's Foundation
Treatments and Therapies
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Over the Counter and Complementary TherapiesParkinson's Foundation
Living With
- Activities of Daily LivingParkinson's Foundation
- Diet and NutritionParkinson's Foundation
- DrivingParkinson's Foundation
- ExerciseParkinson's Foundation
- Finding CareParkinson's Foundation
- For Care PartnersParkinson's Foundation
- Living with Parkinson'sParkinson's Foundation
- Management and LifestyleParkinson's Foundation
- Medical MarijuanaParkinson's Foundation
- MobilityParkinson's Foundation
- New to Parkinson'sParkinson's Foundation
Related Issues
- Cognitive ChangesParkinson's Foundation
- Conditions that Mimic Parkinson'sParkinson's Foundation
- PainParkinson's Foundation
Genetics
- Dopamine transporter deficiency syndrome: MedlinePlus GeneticsNational Library of Medicine
Statistics and Research
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Other Movement DisordersNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Focus on Parkinson's Disease ResearchNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Parkinson DiseaseNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Parkinson Disease. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Parkinson's Disease, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.