Symptomatology and Clinical Features of Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease representing the most common movement disorder worldwide. It is characterized clinically by its cardinal motor features: bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, and resting tremor. The clinical diagnosis of PD is mainly based on the presence of these motor symptoms which differentiate it from the other forms of parkinsonism. However, recently other symptoms known as non-motor symptoms (NMS) are ginning attention because of their negative outcome on PD patients, and they are now included in the clinical diagnosis of the disease. Current lines treatments are generally based on DA replacement and are associated with significant alleviation of motor symptoms and some NMS. However, such treatments have not been shown to decrease or halt the disease progression. Moreover, as the disease progresses, these symptomatic treatments can worsen the disease diagnosis and management.