World Parkinson’s Day 2024: Date, history, significance

World Parkinson’s Day 2024: Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that mainly targets the nervous system and affects the parts of the body controlled by nerves. Nerve cell damage in the brain leads to decrease in Dopamine levels – this leads to Parkinson’s Disease. Some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease are tremors, slow movement, stiffness and loss of balance. Parkinson’s Disease usually start slow, with tremors that are hardly visible. Amnesia, dementia, difficulty in understanding and thinking are some of the cognitive impacts of Parkinson’s Disease. Every year, World Parkinson Day is observed to raise awareness about this Disorder. As we gear up to observe the day for this year, here are a few things to keep in mind.
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Every year, World Parkinson’s Day is observed on April 11. This year, the special day falls on Thursday.
In 1817, Dr. James Parkinson was the first person to discover the first case of Parkinson’s Disease. In 1997, European Association for Parkinson’s Disease announced that April 11 will be observed as World Parkinson’s Day every year. The World Health Organisation also co-sponsored the event.
On this day, people get together to explore new research methods by which we can restrict or slow down the progress of this disease. It also creates the opportunity to celebrate the progress that has been made in this field in understanding this disease and its symptoms. Over the last few decades, significant improvements have been made in understanding this disease and treatment facilities. The day aims to acknowledge the efforts of the health practitioners who work in improving the quality of life for the ones with Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s Europe, the co-founder of World Parkinson’s Day, shared on their official website – this World Parkinson’s Day, they would like to focus on stating the importance of physical activity and exercise for people with the disorder.