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My children Leah and Jennifer,and my grandchildren Dillen,Alyssa,and Taylor. The Alabama Crimson Tide,and I like to play golf. Parkinson's cause still mostly a mysteryBy Judy Fortin CNN (CNN) -- It's estimated 60,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year in the United States. Dr. John Growden of Massachusetts General Hospital has been studying the condition for 25 years. He spoke with CNN about the incurable brain disorder.CNN: What is Parkinson's disease?Growden: Parkinson's disease is one of the most common neurological diseases. It was first described by James Parkinson back in 1817. He observed patients walking on the street with a slight tremor of the hand, a little bit of stooped posture and he wrote a paper on this. These are some of the features of Parkinsonism that we recognize today.CNN: How is it diagnosed?Growden: We make the diagnosis if individuals have at least two of what we call the cardinal manifestations of Parkinson's. The first symptom is a tremor. The second is a muscle stiffness or rigidity, and we test this by moving the limb through a range of movement. The third feature is slowness and facial impassivity. We all shift around and move. A patient with Parkinson's sits like he or she is carved out of a block of stone. The fourth feature is balance and gait abnormality. Parkinson's patients, as they progress, are prone to falls, which is one of the most distressing aspects of the whole thing.CNN: What causes Parkinson's?Growden: In most cases we really don't know. There are some environmental factors that have been implicated in Parkinson's disease. It is known now that some pesticides can cause some cells to degenerate.CNN: Is it always progressive?Growden: Almost always, but the progression is measured in years, not in weeks or months. It's not uncommon to have patients who have this for 15, 20, 25 years.CNN: What do you recommend for treatment?Growden: In the right patient, the right dose of medicine is a miracle. The treatments we have are good. In many cases they can restore people for many years to full function. They are not curative however. There are also a whole set of physical therapies we recommend for patients with Parkinson's disease because when you get muscle stiffness, the tendency is to do very little. (Watch how meditation, exercise can help Parkinson's patients.)CNN: Is there a cure in sight?Growden: A lot of the enthusiasts and advocacy groups in the Parkinson's community are keen on stem cell transplantation and are a little upset that there seems to be a limitation on research in that area. That certainly holds great promise, but there are many years to go.CNN: What do you say to a patient reluctant to seek help?Growden: If the person is 75 years old, retired, tending the rose garden, they may say why bother. We always tailor the treatment to individual patient needs. If someone is impaired, slowing down or their life is constricted by this, then we begin treatment. The most important thing for patients to realize is that Parkinson's disease is not a death sentence.Judy Fortin is a CNN Medical News correspondent.read About | FAQ | Terms | Privacy | Safety Tips | Contact MySpace | Report Abuse | Promote! | Advertise | Jobs | MySpace International ©2003-2007 MySpace. All Rights Reserved.