Parkinson's Disease is a neurological disorder marked by tremors, stiffness and decreased movement. The main pathological characteristic is cell death in the substantia nigra (specficially the pars compacta), where dopamine is produced. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for movement and emotional responses. It also acts in regulating the rewards and pleasure centers of the brain. Therefore decrease in dopamine would result in less movement. A lack of dopamine also affects the basal ganglia, a group of nuclei at the base of the forebrain. The basal ganglia are involved in voluntary motor control, habit learning, eye movements, and cognitive and emotional functions.
Decreased levels of dopamine are also seen in depression, while increased levels are seen in schizophrenia (difficulty distinguishing reality from imagination) and Huntington Disease (chorea and dystonia).
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