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Every year, on April 11, the global community commemorates World Parkinson’s Disease Day. This day is an important opportunity to inform and raise awareness about a neurological condition that affects millions of people worldwide, as well as their families. Above all, it is a day dedicated to understanding and solidarity.

The first significant description of the disease was made by the English neurologist James Parkinson in 1817, while a second important milestone for the disease is the progress of neurochemistry in the 20th century, where Dopamine was discovered by the Greek physician Georgios Kotzias in 1960. This is a substance essential for mobility, the reduction of which leads to Parkinson’s Disease. In the same year, Ehringer & Hornykiewicz found a lack of dopamine in the brains of deceased patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

This neurological disease is the second most common chronic progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It affects 4 million patients worldwide. 1-2% of the population worldwide is affected by the age of 65. 4% of patients develop the disease at the age of less than 50. According to studies, the number of patients worldwide is expected to double by 2030.

The disease begins years before it is clinically noticeable, with a disorder of smell. Usually, clinical symptoms include movement disorders, tremor of the limbs at rest, slowness of mobility, walking (small steps), muscle stiffness, instability, rigidity, difficulty standing, loss of rhythm and intensity of speech and movements. However, the disease is not limited to movement disorders. Many people also experience non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, fatigue, constipation or a decreased sense of smell. Often, these symptoms appear years before the diagnosis is made.

Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there are effective treatment options that significantly contribute to managing symptoms, increasing or replacing dopamine, and improving daily functioning. In some cases, more specialized interventions such as brain stimulation are applied. The role of exercise and rehabilitation is also particularly important. Physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy help maintain independence and quality of life. Regular physical activity has been shown to enhance both physical and mental health, offering essential support in the daily lives of people with Parkinson’s disease.

In 1973, O. Sacks published the book “Awakenings” which later became a play and a film (1990) starring R. Deniro, R. Williams, P. Miller. It is the story of a stay in a nursing home for people with permanent muteness, drowsiness, and immobility. The doctor decides to administer dopamine on a trial basis and the patients wake up, speak, and take care of themselves.

World Parkinson’s Day invites us to look beyond the symptoms. It reminds us that behind every diagnosis there is a person with needs, potential, and the right to a life with dignity. At the same time, it highlights the need for continuous research, better access to health services, and strengthening support structures.