Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome characterised by a group of movement abnormalities that resemble those seen in Parkinson’s disease. The core features of parkinsonism include bradykinesia (slowness of movement), muscular rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability.
These motor symptoms are the result of dysfunction in the basal ganglia and associated neural circuitry, typically due to a deficiency of dopamine.
Although Parkinson’s disease is the most common cause, parkinsonism can also arise from a variety of other conditions and influences, such as other neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., dementia with Lewy bodies, progressive supranuclear palsy), cerebrovascular disease, certain medications, or toxins. Thus, parkinsonism describes the syndrome of characteristic motor features, regardless of the underlying cause, and its recognition is important for guiding further diagnostic investigation and management.
