Original Article

Great Shakes: Famous People With Parkinson Disease

Authors: Jeffrey M. Jones, MD, FAAN

Abstract

James Parkinson is credited with the first complete clinical description of the syndrome attributed to his name, Parkinson disease. It is recognized as the first syndrome defined after neurology became a specialty. Descriptions of Parkinson features are rare in antiquity, and famous people with this disorder have not been found before the 1800s. During the 20th century, more and more famous people appear to be afflicted with Parkinson, and this article reviews some of those who have withstood the “test of Time magazine,” and examines some of the reasons why the syndrome is a relatively recent disorder.


Key Points


* Parkinson disease was only recently described, and was the first clinical syndrome elucidated after neurology became a specialty.


* Parkinson disease is probably more common today because it is a disease of the aging, and people tend to live longer now.


* Disproportionately more famous people appear to be afflicted with Parkinson disease because of their higher visibility (and better news coverage), as opposed to Parkinson disease bestowing some sort of attribute that helps make people famous.

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