April 11: World Parkinson's Disease Day
Edward Johnson, hi-tech and engineering expert, April 11, 2025
What is World Parkinson's Disease Day?
Established in 1997 by the European Parkinson's Disease Association (EPDA), with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), World Parkinson's Disease Day is celebrated every year on April 11. It coincides with the birthday of James Parkinson, the British physician who first described the disease in 1817. This day aims to raise public awareness of this neurological condition, which affects around 10 million people worldwide. In France, nearly 270,000 people are affected, with around 25,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative condition that mainly affects older people. It results from the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra of the brain, causing a deficit in dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for controlling movement. Symptoms include tremors at rest, muscle rigidity, slowness of movement (bradykinesia), and balance disorders. In France, Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's, affecting around 1% of people over 60.
Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease relies on clinical observation of symptoms by a neurologist. No specific test can directly confirm the disease, but tools such as MRI or CT scans can be used to rule out other conditions. A positive response to dopaminergic treatment is an additional indicator supporting the diagnosis.
Current treatments
Treatments for Parkinson's disease aim to relieve symptoms, as no cure exists to date. Levodopa, combined with decarboxylase inhibitors, is the standard treatment to compensate for the dopamine deficit and improve motor symptoms. Other medications, such as dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase B inhibitors (MAO-B inhibitors), are also prescribed to prolong the effect of dopamine in the brain. In some cases, deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure that involves implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain, can also improve motor symptoms.