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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. It is characterized by motor impairments such as tremor, bradykinesia or slowness of movement, and rigidity among other symptoms (Jankovic et al., 2020).

The pathophysiology of PD involves both genetic and environmental factors with only 10-20% cases being linked to genetic mutations while the remaining 80-90% considered idiopathic or “non-genetic”. The primary cause for neuronal loss appears to be related to an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters leading to oxidative stress which eventually leads to cell death (Cunha et al., 2018). This cell death then results in reduced synthesis and release of dopamine leading to the characteristic motor impairments associated with PD.

Clinically significant signs and symptoms associated with Parkinson’s include tremors at rest; slowed movement; muscular rigidity; balance issues; changes in speech including softness or monotone voice; difficulty swallowing among others (Jankovic et al., 2020).