MAPPING OF THE GENE FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE (shaking palsy; paralysis agitans) Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain characterized by constant shaking, difficulty in walking and movement, and lack of coordination. The disease is associated with damage to a part of the brain that controls movements of the muscles. Parkinson's disease is caused by progressive deterioration of the nerve cells of the part of the brain that controls muscle movement (the basal ganglia and the extrapyramidal area).Parkinson's disease was first described in England in 1817 by James Parkinson. The disease affects about 2-10 per 1,000 individuals, and most often develops after the age 50. The disease affects both men and women and is one of the most common neurologic disorders in the elderly. On the other hand, the term "parkinsonism" refers to any condition that is associated with the changes in movement which are seen in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism may be caused by other diseases and factors (secondary parkinsonism). The symptoms of the disease are: Muscle rigidity, muscle stiffness, difficulty bending arms or legs, muscle aches and pains, muscle atrophy Unstable, stooped, or slumped-over posture, slow movements, uncontrolled and slow movements, difficulty initiating any voluntary movement,freezing of movement when the movement is stopped, inability to resume movement Loss of balance, gait changes, shuffling walk, difficulty beginning to walk, small steps followed by the need to run to maintain balance, frequent falls Loss of fine motor skills (difficulty writing, writing may be small and illegible, difficulty eating, difficulty with any activity that requires small movements) Shaking, tremors (varying degrees, may be absent, characteristically occur at rest, may occur at any time, may become severe enough to interfere with routine activities, may be worse when the individual is tired, excited, or stressed, finger-thumb rubbing may be present) Changes in facial expression (reduced ability to show facial expressions, "mask" appearance of the face), staring, may not be able to close the mouth, reduced rate of blinking, voice and speech changes (slow speech, low-volume voice, monotone voice, difficulty speaking) Decline in the intellectual function (may be severe), depression, confusion, dementia, memory loss, drooling, anxiety, stress, and tension Seborrhea Gastrointestinal symptoms (mainly constipation) After original description of the disease by Parkinson, Gowers in 1880 showed that relatives of the affected individuals are at more risk of developing the disease. This evidence showed that heredity plays a role in the susceptibility to the disease. In the search of the gene responsible for the disease, Polymeropoulos et al, reported in the November 15, issue of Science, the genetic markers for the disease. The genetic markers are located on chromosome 4q21-q23. This information will facilitate the identification of the gene responsible for the disease. REFERENCE: Mihael H. Polymeropoulos,Joseph J. Higgins, Lawrence I. Golbe, William G. Johnson, Susan E. Ide, Giuseppe Di Iorio, Giuseppe Sanges, Edward S. Stenroos, Lana T. Pho, Alejandro A. Schaffer, Alice M. Lazzarini, Robert L. Nussbaum, Roger C. Duvoisin:Mapping of a Gene for Parkinson's Disease to Chromosome 4q21-q23. Science274, 1197-1199, 1996 RESOURCES: Parkinson's Disease Information Parkinson's Disease Information Center Parkinson's disease national resources Sharward services and the Parkinson's Disease Society of the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Foundations Algorithm for Managing Parkinson's Disease MEDITOPIA;Parkinson's Disease DATABASE LINKS: