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List, I have just finished editing Marling's story. I thought you might like a look at it. I think this will fly. Marling, I hope you don't mind. Here it is: Does the American Public know the truth about Parkinson's Disease (PD)? Isn't it an old person's disease with a tremor? I'm not even 50, do I need to worry? PD is a progressive disorder of one small area of the brain, Its effects are on the neuro-muscular system. PD usually has four main features: 1] rigidity or stiffness of the body, 2] hand tremor, 3] slow and less spontaneous movement; and 4] loss of balance. Other symptoms include quite a list: depression, confusion, speech and swallowing difficulty, drooling, dizziness, impotence, urinary frequency and constipation. It isn't inherited or "catching". An unrecognized environmental toxin combined with a genetic defect may be the cause. The cause is not known. Research is centered upon a small but important part of the brain called the substantia nigra (SN) where nerve cells die early. Cells in other brain areas are not affected. If you are 25, 35, or 45, could you have PD? According to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, about one million people in the US have PD and approximately 20 new cases per 100,000 people get it every year. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) asks questions about Alzheimer's and other disorders, but not PD. A Parkinson's Disease Handbook says that except for Alzheimer's Disease (AD), more Americans have PD than the next four degenerative neurological disorders put together. PD has been thought to be an old peoples disease (onset over 60).in the past, but now the average age for diagnosis is 57. Often the person with PD (PWP) has had undiagnosed symptoms for years. This means the average onset is younger. Many are much younger. I experienced a variety of strange symptoms for approximately ten years. After an exhausting two year search and an extensive work-up, I was told that I was an overweight , middle aged, female , and that I was just complaining. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and had surgery on both wrists. I had very severe Clinical Depression (CD). When I developed a hand tremor, my GP sent me to a neurologist. At 46 years of age, the neurologist said I had PD, and that I probably had it for at least 10 years. When the PD medicine Sinemet relieved my symptoms, the diagnosis was confirmed. I had PD. My "old persons disease" had started at 36! My story illustrates two large problems: . One is public ignorance of PD. Most people think of a PWP as a somewhat slow moving older person with a tremor. Not a big deal. However, in young and old, alike, PD is uncomfortable! The second ,Ignorance among doctors is worse. "Doctors commonly misdiagnose young onset PD because the patient is "too young" to have PD. Often, years later, the patient responds to PD meds and the diagnosis is changed. We need better statistics on PD, and the NCHS needs to gather them. Then all of this ignorance could be cured. Marling McReynolds 493 words (excluding these ) Regards, WHH 55/19