Parkinsonian syndromes: A review

Abstract

Since James Parkinson published his remarkable clinical observations in the "An Essay On The Shaking Palsy" in 1817, the number of diseases included in the spectrum of parkinsonian syndromes (a group of diseases that have some part of their clinical features resembling those seen in Parkinson's disease), are growing. Careful history taking, comprehensive neurological examination, and utilization of proper investigations will lead the physicians to make an accurate diagnosis of the specific disease entity present. In this recent review, we cover the issue of classification of parkinsonian syndromes, and comprehensively review the characteristic features of the commonly encountered diseases that present with this syndrome. The salient aspects of the epidemiology, key clinical features, proper investigations, and possible treatment options of these diseases have also been addressed.

Keywords: Normal pressure hydrocephalus; Wilson's disease; parkinsonism; parkinsonism plus syndromes; spinocerebellar ataxia; vascular parkinsonism.