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Parkinson disease

pathology
Also known as: idiopathic parkinsonism, paralysis agitans, primary parkinsonism(Show More)
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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•History

Parkinson disease, a degenerative neurological disorder that is characterized by the onset of tremor, muscle rigidity, slowness in movement (bradykinesia), and stooped posture (postural instability). The disease was first described in 1817 by British physician James Parkinson in his “Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” Parkinson disease is the primary form of parkinsonism, a group of chronic disorders in which there is progressive loss of motor function due to the degeneration of neurons in the area...

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