A Brief Introduction to Parkinson’s

Here’s a simplified version of the information that you will learn from the people that you’ll meet when you watch Come Talk to Me. I wrote the first draft. This version was produced using an artificial intelligence, or AI, program that had been told to rewrite it for adults who can read and understand English at a 5th-grade level. We are doing this to make the documentary understandable for as many people as possible. Parkinson’s disease knows no borders.

If you have any comments about the way the text below is written, please contact me!   Jackie Hunt Christensen, Senior Producer 

* Any word or phrase that appears below that is underlined and in bold is important for understanding what you’ll see in the film. We will be putting them in a GLOSSARY (a special dictionary web page that we made just for this film, so you can come back to check the meaning of anything that makes you confused.)

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest-growing brain disorder in the world. It makes movement harder because certain brain cells called neurons* stop making dopamine, a chemical that helps control muscle movement. It is chronic, meaning it doesn’t go away, and progressive (it gets worse over time). More than 10 million people around the world have PD, and every six minutes, someone new is diagnosed with it.

Scientists are still studying what causes PD, but it may come from a mix of genes—tiny sets of instructions inside every cell in the body that help determine how a person grows and functions—and things outside the body, like someone’s age or air pollution or certain chemicals. Anything outside the body is called an environmental factor, even if it isn’t grass or trees.

How Do Doctors Know Someone Has Parkinson’s?

Doctors look for these main signs:

  • Shaking when resting (called tremors)

  • Moving more slowly than usual (called bradykinesia)

  • Stiff or tight muscles (also known as rigidity)

  • Trouble with balance (which doctors call postural instability)

To diagnose PD, doctors usually wait until at least two of these signs appear. Right now, there is no simple lab test that is widely available and affordable to confirm it.

Other Signs to Watch For

Some people with Parkinson’s might have:

  • Feelings of sadness or depression

  • Trouble with constipation

  • Acting out their dreams while sleeping

  • Tiny, cramped handwriting

  • Less movement in one arm while walking

  • A face that looks serious all the time (called masking)

  • A quiet voice that doesn’t change tone much

Not everyone with PD has the same symptoms or in the same order. About 1 in 4 people with PD don’t have tremors at all. That’s why doctors and people in the PD community often say, 

“If you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s.”

Is There a Cure?

There is no cure yet, but there are treatments to help people with PD feel better. Most people take a medicine called levodopa to help them move, but it can also cause dyskinesia (jerky or wiggling movements they can’t control). Some people get surgery or medical devices that can help with symptoms.

How Does Parkinson’s Affect Communication?

Almost 90% of people with PD will have speech problems as the disease gets worse. Some of these problems include:

  • Speaking too softly

  • A voice that sounds like they don’t care. They do care.

  • Slurred or shaky speech

  • Speech that is too fast or too slow

  • Drooling

  • Dry mouth

Also, having a serious facial expression (looks like they don’t care, but they do!) is very common. 

Many people don’t realize their voice has changed until someone points it out.

Why Does PD Make Talking Harder?

PD can make muscles stiff, including the ones in the face, lips, and tongue. This can make words harder to say clearly.

  • Face muscles may be too stiff to smile or show emotions.

  • Lips and tongue muscles can make words run together or sound unclear.

  • Chest muscles may be too tight, making it hard to speak loudly or breathe deeply.

Dyskinesia can make talking even harder. 

Even though PD is known as a “movement disorder,” it also affects memory, thinking, and how people see themselves.