Parkinson's DiseaseParkinson's disease (PD), known for its degenerative capabilities and debilitating effects, is a disease that affects approximately 1 million Americans. The cause of this disease has not been identified, although progress has been made toward a cure. As our elderly population increases, so does our compelling need to find a suitable cure that could one day eliminate this disease. Concepts of PD After watching the video: My Father, My Brother and Me, viewable at www.pbs.org, I picked up four important concepts relating to PD. The first concept is that although there is no definitive cause of this disease, research has shown that factors such as genes and toxic chemicals may play a central role in its occurrence. The second concept is that PD is normally not diagnosed until the disease has progressed significantly and symptoms are no longer visible. The third concept is that PD is a degenerative disease resulting from a lack of dopamine-producing brain cells. Finally, the fourth concept I took away from the video is that there is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease. Factors that may contribute to the onset of Parkinson's disease Scientists have spent decades trying to find an underlying cause for the onset of Parkinson's disease. Research so far has shown that certain genes in a family lineage may make one person more likely than another to develop PD. These genes can be traced to where a family lineage developed, such as Africa or Norway, which are considered countries that produced people more prone to Parkinson's disease. One particular piece of research that caught my attention was the discovery that the MPTP toxin, which was a chemical found in a special mixture of heroin in the 1980s, caused the same symptoms of PD in its users. ...... middle of paper ......ent. The need to find a cure for Parkinson's disease is becoming increasingly evident as our elderly population increases, which also leads to an increase in the occurrence of the disease.ReferencesExperimentation Resources. (2008). Stem cell research: pros and cons. Retrieved August 29, 2011 from http://www.experiment-resources.com/stem-cell-pros-and-cons.html#ixzz1WSjumU9EFrontline. (January 29, 2009) My father, my brother and me. Accessed August 29, 2011 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/parkinsons/Irish Medical News. (March 8, 2010). Finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. Accessed August 29, 2011 from www.imn.ie/clinical/clinical-focus/2816-risk-assessment-for-cvd-an-updateNINDS. (2011). Parkinson's disease: hope through research. Accessed August 29, 2011, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm