The cause of Parkinson is unknown. Experts believe the symptoms are linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by brain cell death. Parkinson is chronic. Symptoms grow worse over time.
This disease may appear in younger people (even teenagers). But it often affects people in late middle age. It is not contagious.
Experts think that, in most people, the cause of Parkinson is a mix of genes and the environment. Studies have shown that rural living, exposure to well water, and exposure to agricultural pesticides and herbicides are linked to Parkinson. But these factors don't guarantee you will get the disease. Nor does their absence prevent it.
In the other forms of Parkinsonism, either the cause is known or suspected. Or the disorder occurs as a secondary effect of some other neurological problem. These forms are sometimes called Parkinson syndrome, atypical Parkinson, or, simply, Parkinsonism. They may be caused by:
- Tumors in the brain.
- Repeated head trauma, such as from boxing.
- Long-time use of certain medicines, such as phenothiazines, butyrophenones, or reserpine for mental health problems, and metoclopramide for stomach upset.
- Toxins, such as manganese and carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Postencephalitic Parkinsonism, a viral disease that causes "sleeping sickness."
- Striatonigral degeneration, a disease that affects the part of the brain called the substantia nigra.
Parkinsonism may also occur with other nervous system problems. These include:
- Shy-Drager syndrome.
- Progressive supranuclear palsy.
- Wilson disease.
- Huntington disease.
- Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome (or pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration).
- Alzheimer disease.
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
- Olivopontocerebellar atrophy.
- Post-traumatic encephalopathy.
- Dementia with Lewy bodies.