ABSTRACT
Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system.1 It occurs when dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra die. The cardinal symptoms include tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability; however, emotional, cognitive, motor, and fatigue symptoms are also common. At the time of presentation, as many as 60%–80% of the dopaminergic neurons are lost, and there may also be a loss of norepinephrine-generating nerve endings.1 There appears to be a combination of genetic susceptibility and exposure to the environment that leads to the development of the disease, and the progression is nonlinear.
