Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive condition that affects the brain. It can lead to individuals finding mobility and other everyday functions and tasks difficult. This can result in them needing support from those who work in Care Jobs Stroud way to come and support them. One of the main reasons that mobility becomes impaired in those with Parkinson’s is due to the fact that the nerves damaged as a part of the condition cause a reduction in the production of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine has a number of functions, such as affecting our mood as well as regulating our movements.
There have been a number of well-known individuals who have lived with Parkinson’s Disease, and these include:
- Muhammad Ali – the famous boxer, was diagnosed in 1984, which was only three years after he retired from professional boxing. He went on to raise large sums of money to help in researching the condition and to help find treatments that can help with some of the symptoms. Ali died in 2016, but he set up the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Arizona, which still continues to support individuals today.
- Billy Connolly – the actor and comedian, was diagnosed back in 2012 and has been very vocal about his condition. He has continued with a number of comedy projects and has also talked openly about living with the condition.
- Michael J Fox – is probably one of the most well-known people with Parkinson’s, having been diagnosed in 1991. In his biography, Fox noted how he first became aware that something was wrong when his little finger started tapping against a book he was reading, and he couldn’t control it.