Psychology Chapter 8:
Let's talk movement Parkinson’s
disease is a progressive disorder that affects thedopamine-containing neurons in the substania nigra that controlmuscle movement. People with Parkinson’s experience trembling,muscle rigidity, difficulty walking and problems with balance.Parkinson’s disease usually develops after age 50 but a smallnumber of younger people are also affected.
Parkinson’s Disease and Aging
The loss of dopamine containing cells in Parkinson’s disease isactually an extreme form of the natural loss of dopamine cells thatoccurs during normal aging. Debate whether this is an indicationthat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are a natural result ofgrowing old or whether these symptoms occur when we get olderbecause of environmental insults. Discuss what type of researchstudies would be necessary to separate these two ideas.
