q Parkinson's disease affects over 7,000 people in the Republic or one in 500 of the general population.
q The first comprehensive description of the disease was given by James Parkinson in 1817 in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy. The most common symptoms include a resting tremor, slowness of movement and rigidity.
q The cause of the disease is unknown but it involves the destruction of the nerve cells which are rich in a compound called dopamine. Dopamine is one of a group of compounds more commonly known as neurotransmitters and is necessary for muscle control.
q Pope John Paul II was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1993. Medical experts believe the Pope's Parkinson's may have predisposed him to infections of the primary airways. Influenza is a common cause of death in elderly Parkinson's patients.
q US actor Michael J Fox suffers from young-onset Parkinson's disease and has written a book about his experience of the disorder. He is one of the biggest donors to Parkinson's research in the US.
q Muhammad Ali has what doctors call secondary Parkinson's or Parkinsonism which is a term used to describe a symptom constellation similar to classic Parkinson's disease, but caused by other disorders including brain injury. He has consistently denied the condition was brought on by boxing.
q Adolf Hitler is believed to have developed a Parkinsonism syndrome from exposure to poisonous gas exposures in the trenches of the first World War.
Websites:
European Parkinson's Disease Association: www.epda.eu.com/
Parkinson's Association of Ireland: www.parkinsons.ie/