DAVID MARKS, MD: But how can you tell if someone actually has the disease? You're not necessarily looking in the brain always.
MICHELE TAGLIATI, MD: There are three fundamental symptoms that the patient can feel. One is tremor, the second one is unusual slowness or lack of dexterity in their movement or lack of coordination. And the third is a stiffness of the muscle that we call rigidity. There is a fourth symptom that usually occurs later on; that is a gait instability. A lack of balance while walking.
DAVID MARKS, MD: And they have to have all of these symptoms to be diagnosed with Parkinson's?
MICHELE TAGLIATI, MD: No, they don't. The definition of the disease is the presence of at least two of these four major symptoms. And there is a corollary of small other symptoms like a lack of expression of your face, a difficulty in writing -- the letters come out very small and very effortful -- and problems with sleeping or anxiety.
DAVID MARKS, MD: Dr. Alterman, as a neurosurgeon, it must be very exciting to you, because this is a time when we have an increasing number of treatments for Parkinson's. Tell us about them.
RON ALTERMAN, MD: Yes, it is a very exciting time. Because of advances in various technologies and in our understanding of the physiology, we've seen a renewal of the interest in surgery for Parkinson's disease. Nevertheless, the front-line treatment for Parkinson's continues to be medications.
