Image
13,409,720
people in the world live with Parkinson’s.
Woman with Parkinson's
Man with Parkinson's
Guy with curvy hair and black beard smiling
Young woman with long hair and glasses smiling
Guy with Parkinson's outdoor
Fundraising event at Davis Phinney Foundation - Speakers
Older women doing exercise
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Woman having a headache
Victory summit
Newly diagnosed woman with Parkinson's
Mayra Torres

What is Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s is a complex neurological disorder that can affect almost every part of the body, ranging from how you move to how you feel to how you think and process.

  • It is not life-threatening in itself, but complications can be serious.
  • It is progressive, meaning symptoms and effects of Parkinson’s get worse over time.
  • There is no single cause or predictor of Parkinson’s, though researchers have discovered genetic and environmental factors may influence the development of Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s affects everyone differently, so how you choose to live well will be personal and may change over time.

But a positive outlook, staying engaged, exercising regularly, and taking action are steps everyone can take to live well today.

How Parkinson’s Affects the Brain

Parkinson’s is a brain disorder linked to the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells (neurons) deep inside the brain.

  • Dopamine’s role: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical substance) that helps regulate the body’s movement, coordination, and control.
  • Impact of low dopamine: Less dopamine means difficulty with movement control and reduced mobility.
  • Many treatments aim to replace or enhance dopamine.

Parkinson’s Progression

Parkinson’s is both chronic (long-lasting) and progressive, meaning symptoms will change and worsen over time.

  • The rate of progression varies by individual.
  • While Parkinson’s itself doesn’t directly cause death, complications like choking, pneumonia, or falls can be life-threatening in late stages of the disease.
Woman reading EVC manual

How Does Parkinson’s Change Over Time?

Because Parkinson’s is a chronic condition, your symptoms and available treatment options will change over time. Everyone’s experience with Parkinson’s is different, which can make anticipating the progression of symptoms frustrating.

To best understand what to expect from symptoms, read our Every Victory Counts® manual for living well.

The important thing is to make a commitment to start. Stop waiting and start moving. Your goal isn’t simply to accept Parkinson’s. Your goal is to live well.
Davis Phinney

Understanding Parkinson’s Symptoms

Parkinson’s is officially classified as a movement disorder because it involves damage to the areas of the brain, nerves, and muscles that control the speed, quality, and ease of movement. While motor symptoms like tremor, stiffness, and slowness are often the most visible signs, non-motor symptoms — such as mood changes, sleep problems, and cognitive challenges — can have an even greater impact on your quality of life.

Parkinson’s is a complex condition that causes a wide range of symptoms, which may begin years before diagnosis and change as the disease progresses. These can include:

  • Pre-motor symptoms: early non-motor symptoms like loss of smell, constipation, depression, or anxiety
  • Motor symptoms: movement-related issues that typically appear after significant loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, such as tremor and balance problems
  • Non-motor symptoms: challenges not directly related to movement, including changes in mood, thinking, sleep, digestion, and blood pressure

No two people experience Parkinson’s in the same way, and not everyone will have the same symptoms or progression. Symptoms can also combine in ways that feel overwhelming — for example, poor sleep may worsen fatigue and intensify mood changes like anxiety or apathy.

Being informed about the range of possible symptoms can help you and your family take meaningful action to live well today.

Just because something is listed as a symptom of Parkinson’s doesn’t mean you will experience it.
Pre-Motor Symptoms

Pre-motor symptoms are early non-motor symptoms that can develop years — sometimes decades — before the classic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s appear. Researchers hope understanding these early signs will lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Examples include:

  • Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) – acting out dreams during sleep, often 15–50 years before motor symptoms
  • Constipation – can start 10–20 years before motor symptoms
  • Depression and anxiety – may develop up to 20 years before motor symptoms

  • Loss of smell – can appear shortly before motor symptoms

Motor Symptoms

Motor symptoms result from the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells that help regulate movement. These symptoms can vary in severity and progression:

  • Tremor – rhythmic shaking, usually when at rest
  • Rigidity – painful stiffness in muscles
  • Akinesia / Bradykinesia / Hypokinesia – reduced, slowed, or smaller movements; may cause small handwriting (micrographia)
  • Postural instability – balance problems that may lead to falls (including retropulsion — falling backward)
  • Other motor issues – mask-like facial expression, reduced arm swing, speech and swallowing challenges, cramping, reduced dexterity, freezing of gait, festination (short, rapid steps)
Non-Motor Symptoms

Non-motor symptoms can impact quality of life significantly and often appear before or alongside motor symptoms.

Examples include:

  • Cognitive challenges – memory issues, difficulty concentrating
  • Mood changes – anxiety, depression, apathy
  • Sleep problems – insomnia, fatigue
  • Autonomic dysfunction – constipation, urinary urgency/incontinence, lightheadedness, sexual dysfunction, drooling, excessive sweating
  • Sensory symptoms – loss of smell, pain, numbness or tingling
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Americans currently living with Parkinson’s
Up to
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people worldwide living with Parkinson’s
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new diagnoses in the U.S. each year

Parkinson’s by The numbers

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S., following Alzheimer’s. It affects more than multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and ALS combined. While most diagnoses occur after age 60, Parkinson’s can affect younger people too.

Quick Stats

0%

of people with Parkinson’s are male

0 in 100

people over 60 has Parkinson’s

< 0 in 1,000

are under age 50

0%

of people with Parkinson’s are under age 50

0%

are under age 40
Two doctors analyzing brain scan results
What Causes Parkinson’s?

The causes of Parkinson’s are still unknown, but researchers believe a unique mix of genetics, environment, lifestyle, and other factors contributes for each person. Some cases may involve family history, while others may be linked to environmental exposures or head trauma.

Want to Help?
Are you interested in helping researchers better understand what causes Parkinson’s? Get involved today.

Diagnosis

Since no two cases of Parkinson’s are ever exactly alike, Parkinson’s can be very difficult to diagnose. Physicians determine you have Parkinson’s after reviewing your medical history, self-reported symptoms and a clinical examination conducted by a neurologist or a movement disorder specialist.

A Parkinson’s diagnosis requires you have two out of three primary motor symptoms:

  • Tremor (shaking, usually of the arm, leg or chin, while at rest)
  • Rigidity (stiffness)
  • Bradykinesia (slow movement)

To support the diagnosis, your healthcare provider will also look for other symptoms:

  • Micrographia (small handwriting)
  • Reduced facial expression (mask-like face)
  • Decreased arm swing or leg drag on one side of the body while walking

Symptoms like shoulder pain, depression, sleep issues, constipation, and loss of smell can appear long before motor symptoms, but are often subtle and overlooked until after diagnosis. Many people look back and recognize these early signs only in hindsight, sometimes after seeking other treatments like physical therapy or surgery.

Unlike many conditions diagnosed through advanced tests, Parkinson’s is diagnosed through your medical history and a simple exam. Tests like blood work, brain scans, or DaTscan may help rule out other causes or support the diagnosis, but they don’t confirm Parkinson’s on their own.

Young Onset Parkinson’s

While Parkinson’s is often associated with older adults, up to 10% of people are diagnosed before age 50 — a form known as young onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD).

YOPD shares many of the same motor symptoms as typical Parkinson’s, but there are some key differences:

  • Symptoms may progress more slowly.
  • Dystonia (painful muscle contractions) is more common early on and can lead to misdiagnosis.
  • Cognitive decline is less common in early stages.
  • Motor symptoms of YOPD respond well to medication, however, medication side effects like motor fluctuations and dyskinesia may appear earlier and be more intense.

Living with YOPD often brings unique life-stage challenges. Many people are still working, raising children, or caring for aging parents. This can make managing Parkinson’s and prioritizing self-care especially difficult. Women may also face added complexity related to hormonal changes and menstrual cycles.

Because of these factors, people with YOPD may face tough decisions about their careers and finances earlier than expected, adding emotional and practical stress to their diagnosis.

What you can do
to live well Today

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Find a Physician

Find a physician who understands the unique issues presenting in treating a younger person with Parkinson’s.

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Create a Care Team

Create a robust care team that can change and evolve with you as your experience of Parkinson’s changes and evolves.

Commit to Exercise

Exercise, exercise, exercise! Develop and commit to a sustained and varied exercise plan.

Pay Attention to Diet

Be sure you are getting the important nutrients your body needs and are mindful of which foods impact your symptoms.

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Reduce Stress

Stress worsens all aspects of Parkinson’s.

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Plan for the Future

Have honest conversations with your spouse and family and consider working with a long-term planning professional.

Additional Resources

Research and personal experiences of people living with Parkinson’s continue to show incredible impacts through simple lifestyle changes including stress reduction, getting enough sleep, a healthy diet and exercise. Follow the links below to learn more about these simple changes and get started on your path to living well.