Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease that results from nerve cell damage in the brain, which causes decreased dopamine levels. This results in symptoms such as tremors, shaking, stiffness, loss of balance and other involuntary muscle movements.

Parkinson's disease is not curable, but the majority of symptoms can be controlled. At The University of Kansas Health System, we offer expert care and advanced, innovative treatment options to help those living with Parkinson’s disease enjoy a full life.

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological condition. It affects the cells in the brain that produce dopamine as well as other chemicals. When these cells are damaged, you may experience tremor, muscle rigidity and changes in walking and balance. Other symptoms can also be present, such as memory loss, depression and anxiety, among others.

This disease most commonly affects people over the age of 60, but it can occur in young adults. It is slightly more common among men than women. Currently, there are approximately 1 million people in the United States with Parkinson’s disease.

We offer a variety of appointment types. Learn more or call 913-588-1227 to schedule now.

Parkinson's disease symptoms and risks

Advanced age is the most significant risk for developing Parkinson’s disease. The average age of onset is 60 years. Family history may play a role as well as environmental risk factors such as herbicide/pesticide exposure, head injury and other chemical exposure.

Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that begins slowly and progresses over time. Tremor on 1 side, typically in the hand or arm, is the most common first symptom. Other common symptoms include slowness, stiffness and difficulty with walking and balance. Additional possible symptoms include:

Loss of smell
Monotone speech
Non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, constipation, acting out dreams
Reduced facial expression and decreased blinking of the eyes
Shuffling gait with reduced arm swing, typically 1 side
Small handwriting
Swallowing problems

Parkinson's disease diagnosis and screening

Parkinson’s disease can be a challenging disease to diagnose. There are no blood or urine tests, or brain scan to confirm the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, and symptoms differ from person to person. Your movement disorder specialist will take a complete history and perform a detailed exam.

A review of your symptoms and a physical examination will determine if you have Parkinson’s disease. Occasionally, a specialized brain scan, called a DaTscan, can be used to help make the diagnosis.

Our movement disorder experts have extensive experience in providing care for people with Parkinson’s disease. Working with specialists will help you receive the right care at the right time. In many cases, our specialists work with people over years or decades to control symptoms and manage medications as the condition advances.

Nurse with her hand on a smiling patient's shoulder.

Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence

We are a Parkinson’s Disease Center of Excellence, among just 33 in the country recognized by the Parkinson’s Foundation. We are your resource for effectively managing Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson's disease treatment

After diagnosis, your Parkinson’s disease specialist will work with you to determine the most appropriate treatment strategy based on the severity of your symptoms and your goals for maintaining your desired quality of life. These options include nondrug therapies, medications and surgeries, including some of the field’s most innovative treatment options.

Adenosine A2A antagonists: The adenosine A2A receptor is a new target in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This group of circuits in the brain are associated with underlying problems that result in Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Adenosine A2A antagonists block the adenosine A2A receptor, resulting in symptom improvement.
Carbidopa/levodopa: Levodopa is a common medication for Parkinson's disease that has been used since the late 1960s. It is combined with carbidopa to prevent nausea and vomiting. Currently, this combination of medications is the gold standard in drug therapy for Parkinson's disease treatment.
COMT inhibitors: Catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors are used only in combination with levodopa to prolong the drug's effects. When used alone, these drugs have no direct effect on Parkinson's disease symptoms.
Dopamine agonists: Dopamine is the chemical responsible for smooth, normal muscle movements. Dopamine agonists mimic dopamine to trick the brain into thinking it is receiving the dopamine it needs. This provides relief from Parkinson's disease symptoms.
MAO-B inhibitors: Monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) is an enzyme that breaks down dopamine. MAO-B inhibitors block this effect so that more dopamine is available to the brain, thereby improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
NMDA antagonists: Medications called NMDA antagonists have shown promise in treating motor symptoms and levodopa-induced dyskinesis.

On-demand drug therapies for off episodes

APOKYN®: APOKYN is an injection used to help control body movements in people with advanced Parkinson’s disease, or hypomobility (off episodes). Off episodes often cause symptoms like muscle stiffness, slow movements and difficulty starting movements.
Apomorphine hydrochloride sublingual film (KYNMOBI™): KYNMOBI is a medication that treats short-term, intermittent off episodes for people with Parkinson's disease. The first drug of its kind, KYNMOBI is placed under the tongue to dissolve over a 3-minute period.
Levodopa inhalation therapy: People taking carbidopa/levodopa and experiencing the return of Parkinson's disease symptoms may benefit from levodopa inhalation therapy. This treatment is delivered through an inhaler and is used between regular doses of medication to help treat the return of Parkinson’s symptoms. In some cases, motor symptoms have been shown to improve in as soon as 10 minutes.

Dietary counseling
Focused ultrasound
Psychological counseling
Rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
Social work

We also offer a driving program to help assess people with Parkinson’s disease for the ability to continue to drive safely. Using a driving simulation system, our driving rehabilitation therapist evaluates for motor functions, brake reaction, visual functions and cognitive functions.

This testing can confirm the individual's safety to continue to drive or may uncover a need for restrictions or specialized equipment – such as avoiding driving at night or installing hand controls – or the necessity to retire from driving.

Carbidopa/levodopa enteral suspension (Duopa™) is an advanced therapy for Parkinson’s disease. It involves the direct delivery of carbidopa/levodopa to the small intestine by inserting a tube through the stomach and delivering the drug via a continuous pump. The approach offers more consistent symptom control and eliminates complicated dosing schedules. It reduces what’s known as off time, which occurs when the effects of a dose of oral medication wear off before it’s time to take the next dose.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) delivers electrical stimulation to the brain to relieve Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Our health system is one of the top 10 DBS implanters in the U.S. and was among the first in the nation to perform this treatment. With more than 1,000 DBS surgeries performed to date, our doctors are recognized leaders with outcomes well above the national average.

Still the best

Our hospital continues to rank as the best in Kansas City and in Kansas according to U.S. News & World Report.

Interdisciplinary care

We provide comprehensive care to support patients over time.

Leading researchers

Our providers are also leading researchers. They care for patients today and drive research to develop new treatments.

Your Parkinson's disease care team

Together, our specialists work as an interdisciplinary team to provide complete care for Parkinson’s disease and its effects. Specialists in your healthcare planning may include:

Leading research and clinical trials

As part of one of the nation's premier academic medical centers, our care providers are committed to research and scientific discovery through the University of Kansas Medical Center. We can often include our patients in potentially lifesaving clinical trials and treatment options not available anywhere else.

Our Research