29th April 2024

Background

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterised primarily by bradykinesia, the presence of which is key for a confident diagnosis. Bradykinesia is often seen with rigidity, resting tremor, postural instability and gait impairment. PD occurs as a result of degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the ventral pars compacta of the substantia nigra. α-synuclein, a protein bound to ubiquitin, aggregates in damaged cells, forming cellular inclusions called Lewy bodies.