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Research review of Parkinson’s disease Afflicting over one million Americans, Parkinson’s disease is one of the most devastating neuro-degenerative diseases in the world. A British physician, James Parkinson, first discovered this disease while observing people on the streets of London. He noted that certain individuals suffered from a tremor, which, along with muscle weakness, became worse with time. Even with standardized neurological examination by doctors today, Parkinson’s disease is still only detectible through careful observation of the patient. It was not until the late nineteenth century in which physicians finally began to understand the anatomy and physiology of Parkinson’s disease. Throughout the past decade the knowledge base for Parkinson’s disease has increased tremendously. Parkinson’s disease has now been identified and cataloged by the medical community as a serious and potentially fatal neuro-degenerative disease. The disease’s symptoms, possible causes, mechanisms, and cures have been researched and studied by innumerable scientists and organizations. Parkinson’s disease occurs when certain nerve cells, or neurons, in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra die or bec