User:Anthonyhcole/Parkinson's disease/Simple

Parkinsonism is defined as the presence of bradykinesia (slowness of initiation of movement and motor decrement on repetitive movement) in combination with one of three other physical signs namely muscular (lead pipe or cogwheel) rigidity, a rest tremor and postural instability. Parkinson's disease is the most common form of parkinsonism and is usually defined as "primary" parkinsonism, meaning parkinsonism with no external identifiable cause. These identifiable causes may include side of effects of drugs, toxins, infections, metabolic derangement and strategic brain lesions such as strokes. Several neurodegenerative disorders may also present with Parkinsonism and are sometimes referred to as atypical Parkinsonism or Parkinson’s plus syndromes. They include multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration and dementia with Lewy bodies. There are also cases of Parkinsonism where the cause has been identified, including gene mutations. Scientists sometimes refer to Parkinson’s disease as a synucleiopathy due to an abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein in the brain to distinguish it from other neurodegenarations such as Alzheimer's disease where the brain accumulates tau protein in the form of neurofibrillary tangles, and beta amyloid in the form of plaques. Considerable clinical and pathological overlap exists between tauopathies and synucleinopathies. The most typical symptom of Alzheimer's disease is dementia.