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Is "Parkinson's disease" one disease?
1Belzberg Laboratory of Clinical Neuroscience, University Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Parkinson's disease may share causes with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a need for new nomenclature. Replacing "Parkinson's disease" with "idiopathic Parkinsonism" better reflects its syndrome of unknown origin.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathology
- Medical Classification
Background:
- Disease classification relies heavily on etiology (causal factors).
- Similar clinical presentations can arise from diverse etiologies (e.g., meningitis).
- A single etiology can manifest in varied clinical and pathological ways (e.g., neurosyphilis).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the nosological placement of Parkinson's disease.
- To address the overlap between Parkinson's disease and idiopathic dementia (Alzheimer's disease).
- To propose revised nomenclature for Parkinson's disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing etiological and clinical evidence.
- Analysis of nosological principles in disease categorization.
- Conceptual re-evaluation of Parkinson's disease as a syndrome.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests multiple potential causes for Parkinson's disease.
- Some etiological factors may be shared with idiopathic dementia.
- Current nomenclature for Parkinson's disease implies a single cause, which may be inaccurate.
Conclusions:
- Parkinson's disease may represent a syndrome with unknown origins.
- The term "idiopathic Parkinsonism" is proposed as a more accurate nomenclature.
- Revising the classification and terminology is crucial for understanding Parkinson's disease and related disorders.