{"id":34941,"date":"2023-11-01T12:04:16","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T11:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/?page_id=34941"},"modified":"2025-08-05T11:49:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T09:49:30","slug":"what-is-parkinsons","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/about-parkinsons\/what-is-parkinsons\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Parkinson\u2019s?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"34941\" class=\"elementor elementor-34941 elementor-5729\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf1c93c e-con-full elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cf1c93c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;position&quot;:&quot;absolute&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0c75f48 e-flex e-con-boxed elementor-invisible e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0c75f48\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;animation_delay&quot;:300}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fc604d e-con-full e-flex elementor-invisible e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2fc604d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;fadeIn&quot;,&quot;animation_delay&quot;:600}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6216f68 heading-home elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6216f68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is Parkinson\u2019s?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8db6af8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8db6af8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"363\">Parkinson\u2019s disease is a chronic brain disorder that typically begins between the ages of 50 and 60. It is caused by the damage and eventual death of a small group of cells in the brain (in the substantia nigra). As a result, these cells can no longer produce dopamine. And we need this chemical substance to move smoothly and maintain control over our movements.<\/p><p data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"721\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Thanks to scientific research, doctors are now able to recognise and diagnose Parkinson\u2019s disease at an increasingly early stage. New insights into early symptoms and improved imaging techniques make it possible to detect the disease sooner. This is crucial, because the earlier the disease is identified, the sooner appropriate care and support can begin.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2832337 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2832337\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-773a458 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"773a458\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-66836b1 elementor-button-success elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"66836b1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/about-parkinsons\/dr-james-parkinson\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Dr. James Parkinson<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-812ac69 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"812ac69\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bdf86c2 elementor-button-success elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"bdf86c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/about-parkinsons\/development-of-parkinsons-disease\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Development of Parkinson\u2019s<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3308899 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3308899\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c19fca e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4c19fca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-176afad elementor-button-success elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"176afad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/about-parkinsons\/symptoms-of-parkinsons-disease\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Symptoms of Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-915b339 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"915b339\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8db0a6c e-con-full elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8db0a6c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99f1af9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"99f1af9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2badbfe e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2badbfe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-199b580 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"199b580\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Cause<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba46d45 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ba46d45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The exact cause is unfortunately still unknown. However, scientific research has uncovered how certain forms of parkinsonism develop. Parkinson\u2019s disease arises from the death of nerve cells in the brain. When around 70% of the dopamine-producing cells have died, the symptoms of Parkinson\u2019s begin to appear. What remains unclear, however, is why these nerve cells die in the first place.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eaa7318 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"eaa7318\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Different theories on the cause of Parkinson\u2019s\n\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2970752 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2970752\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"140\">Researchers have already been looking into genetic causes and abnormalities, as well as environmental factors that may play a role, such as:<\/p><ul><li data-start=\"142\" data-end=\"194\">viruses<\/li><li data-start=\"142\" data-end=\"194\">bacteria<\/li><li data-start=\"142\" data-end=\"194\">toxic substances<\/li><li data-start=\"142\" data-end=\"194\">heavy metals<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d98b0d9 e-con-full elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d98b0d9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2edba6f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2edba6f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-099f90b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"099f90b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-832eeb4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"832eeb4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Who develops Parkinson\u2019s disease?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-576f79b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"576f79b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>No one is immune to Parkinson\u2019s disease. It mainly affects people over the age of 50. More than 63,000 people in the Netherlands are living with Parkinson\u2019s, and worryingly, we\u2019re seeing a sharp rise among people in their thirties and forties. Due to an ageing population, this number is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. The disease is not contagious.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74ceb67 e-con-full elementor-hidden-mobile e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"74ceb67\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4bf8824 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4bf8824\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f0ce70 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1f0ce70\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85cd15a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"85cd15a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Parkinsonism<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89e75c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"89e75c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"18\" data-end=\"441\">Parkinsonism, or Parkinson\u2019s syndrome, is a collective term for conditions that resemble Parkinson\u2019s disease. The actual disease \u2013 also known as idiopathic parkinsonism \u2013 presents differently in every patient. The word \u2018idiopathic\u2019 is a medical term meaning \u2018of unknown cause\u2019. In addition to Parkinson\u2019s disease, there are also Parkinson-like disorders that fall under the umbrella of parkinsonism or Parkinson\u2019s syndrome.<\/p><p data-start=\"443\" data-end=\"700\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The key difference lies in dopamine. In Parkinson\u2019s disease, the production of dopamine is disrupted. In parkinsonism, the issue lies in how the brain processes dopamine, meaning that Parkinson\u2019s medications are usually ineffective in treating parkinsonism.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee99723 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"ee99723\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e162927 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e162927\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f347fc e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0f347fc\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7bc2f72 elementor-button-success elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7bc2f72\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/about-parkinsons\/what-is-parkinsons\/types-of-parkinsons\/%20\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"far fa-angle-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">What types of Parkinson\u2019s are there?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d0b8b1b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d0b8b1b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parkinson\u2019s disease is a chronic brain disorder that typically begins between the ages of 50 and 60. It is caused by the damage and eventual death of a small group of cells in the brain (in the substantia nigra). As a result, these cells can no longer produce dopamine. And we need this chemical substance [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"parent":34936,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-34941","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34941"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35141,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34941\/revisions\/35141"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/34936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parkinsonfonds.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}