What is 'parkinsonism'?

What is 'parkinsonism'?

Neal Hermanowicz (Director of the Movement Disorders Program) gives expert video advice on: How is dexterity affected by Parkinson's?; How does Parksinson's affect the skin?; How does Parkinson's affect body weight? and more...

Parkinsonism is a broad term. Parkinsons Disease refers to one kind of disorder that causes Parkinsonism. There are other things that can cause Parkinsonism. Parkinsons Disease infers a very specific process in the brain leading to that problem of Parkinsonism, meaning slowness of movement, maybe stiffness of movement, and a change in walking. Parkinsonism is the constellation of symptoms or findings that look like Parkinsons Disease. There are many things that can cause Parkinsonism, including Parkinsons Disease. Sometimes medications can do that. Medications such as metoclopramide, also called Reglan, or prochlorperazine, known as Compazine, these things can, in some people, some sensitive people, mimic the findings of Parkinsons Disease or cause Parkinsonism. Parkinsonism could be caused by multiple small strokes accumulated over time. In certain parts of the brain when it's injured by a stroke, that can lead to the same sort of constellation of symptoms and signs. Specifically, a shuffling type of walking, or alteration of walking, slowness of movement, a sense of stiffness of movement. Parkinsonism may also include tremor, but not necessarily. Parkinsonism broadly refers to slowing of movement and alteration of walking.