Parkinson’s Disease: Awareness Among Young Adults

Parkinsons disease, first described by the English surgeon James Parkinson (1755-1824) in 1817 as shaking palsy, is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests symptoms such as resting tremor, muscular rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability. These motor disorders have been extensively researched resulting in improved diagnostic accuracy and the development of robust rating scales and treatment strategies for symptoms. The treatment options for Parkinsons disease are similar to those for Alzheimers disease, meaning that at this moment in time there does not exist a definitive cure that can reverse the progression of the disease. Young adults seem to be well aware of Alzheimers disease, but are they aware of Parkinsons disease? Both of these diseases will become increasingly more prevalent in our aging world and young adults need to be prepared to care for family members who are struck by one, or both, diseases. In this book we document the assessment of the knowledge of young adults with respect to Parkinsons disease across the globe.