An invaluable guide for patients, their families and caregivers. Parkinson's is a very common neurological disorder. Up to 1.5 million Americans are directly affected, including as many as 3% of the population over the age of 65. Five to 10% of Parkinson's sufferers develop symptoms in their prime, between the ages of 21 and 39. This debilitating, progressive disorder of the central nervous system is caused by a loss in the brain of a hormone-like neurotransmitter called dopamine. Parkinson's five major symptoms include tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), gait disorder and loss of balance. Not surprisingly, the disorder has implications in all areas of a patient's life. Parkinson's explores and explains the issues important to patients and families, including: Diagnosis and treatment Existing and new drug therapies The latest surgical procedures Controlling symptoms and reducing the side effects of drug therapy Adapting the home and managing daily life Gene therapy and stem-cell research Writing for patients and their families, Grimes presents the straight facts using detailed tables, sidebars and diagrams. The book presents the science and medicine behind the condition, and explains the jargon often used by doctors treating Parkinson's.