Juvenile Parkinson's Disease

Juvenile Parkinson's is a degenerative disease that is marked by the destruction of cells in the brain that produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in controlling movement.

Symptoms

• The primary symptoms of Juvenile Parkinson's are, according to madisonsfoundation.org, rigidity, resting tremors and bradykinesia. Bradykinesia is slowness when initiating a movement.

Causes

• Juvenile Parkinson's disease is frequently of unknown origin (idiopathic), however there are indications that some cases are genetic in origin. It is believed that the cause is a recessive gene called PARK 2.

Diagnosis

• As with other forms of Parkinson's, the diagnosis is based on the manifestation of symptoms. A diagnosis requires two of the three major symptoms (rigidity, resting tremors and bradykinesia) be present.

Treatment

• The most prevalent treatment option for all Parkinson's types is levadopa, a medication that increases dopamine levels in the brain. Medications may also be prescribed to help reduce tremors (anticholinergic drugs)

Prevalence

• The exact number of people with Juvenile Parkinson's is unclear, but youngparkinsons.com reports that the occurrence of Parkinson's under the age of 40 is estimated at about 10 percent of all cases.