Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting millions of patients worldwide. Individuals with parkinsonism develop a slowly progressive and disabling disorder with motor, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. It is well established that neurodegeneration in this disease affects mainly dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia, and recent progress in neuroscience research has begun to establish the pathophysiological links that lead from loss of dopaminergic transmission to the symptoms of parkinsonism. The newly gained knowledge in this area has already resulted in the development of a number of new therapeutic options for patients with PD. The process of neurodegeneration itself is also under very active investigation, primarily using genetic and molecular research. Results from these studies promise to help in the future development of neuroprotective treatments. This chapter outlines the scientific basis for established treatments as well as therapeutic options that are currently under development.Key WordsMPTPprimatepathophysiologypallidumsubthalamic nucleussubstantia nigra