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American Parkinson Disease Assocation - Midwest Chapter
Serving all of Illinois and Northwest Indiana
2050 Pfingsten Road,
Suite 127
Glenview, IL 60026
apdamidwest@aol.com
Phone: (847) 724-7087
Fax: (847) 724-7259
APDA Center
for
Advanced Research
University of
Chicago
Medical Center
5841 S Maryland Avenue,
MC 2030
Chicago, IL 60637
Corodinator, Joan Young
773-834-1688
parkinsons.bsd.uchicago.edu
move@uchicago.edu
APDA Centers
Glenbrook Hospital
2100 Pfingsten Rd.
Glenview, IL 60026
Midwest Regional Parkinson
Information & Referral Center
Coordinator:
Susan Reese,
RN, LCSW
(847) 657-5787
Toll-free: (800) 223-9776
ParkinsonsCenter@enh.org
National Young Onset Parkinson Center
Director: Julie Sacks, LCSW
Toll-free: (877) 223-3801
apda@youngparkinsons.org
www.youngparkinsons.org
NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS
NEW YORK
American Parkinson
Disease Association
135 Parkinson Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
(800) 223-2732
Fax: (718) 981-4399
www.apdaparkinson.org
apda@apdaparkinson.org
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What is
Parkinson's?
Parkinson
Disease is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system affecting more
than 1.5 million people in the United States. Clinically the disease is characterized
by a decrease in spontaneous movements, gait difficulty, postural instability,
rigidity and tremor. Parkinson disease is caused by the degeneration of the
pigmented neurons in the Substantia Nigra of the brain, resulting in decreased
dopamine availability. The major symptoms of the disease were originally described
in 1817 by an English physician, Dr. James Parkinson, who called it "Shaking
Palsy." Only in the 1960's, however, pathological and biochemical changes
in the brain of patients were identified, opening the way to the first effective
medication for the disease.
Incidence
Men and women alike are affected. The frequency of the disease in considerably
higher in the over-60 age group, even though there is an alarming increase of
patients of younger age. Because of the increased life expectancy in
this country worldwide, an increasing number of people will be victims of Parkinson
disease.
Treatment
Parkinson
disease can be effectively treated with numerous medications for many years.
Daily Exercise, a good diet, a positive attitude, and humor will help to keep
you actively interested in life. Support groups are available for mutual sharing
of information and emotional support.
While there is no known cause or cure for PD at this time, there is hope with newer medications
and research. There are many excellent treatment options available. If managed carefully, a person with PD can live well. Surgical strategies have been beneficial to those who require
relief beyond medication regimes. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries are
done at centers in Illinois and Indiana and around the nation.
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