A team of doctors led by Mona Raghothaman of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore in southern India, has made a strong plea for all out nationwide efforts to detect the Parkinsons Disease at an early stage.

They have suggested that doctors working at primary health care centers and district hospitals be educated to identify Parkinsonism and refer the patients to specialty centers.

It was first described by James Parkinson in England in 1817. The disease most often develops after age 50. It affects both men and women and is one of the most common neurologic disorders of the elderly.

The disease itself causes degeneration of nerve fibres. The brain consists of cells called 'Neurons' and their fibres called 'Nerves'.

The Central nervous system consists of the brain, the spinal cord, and the body’s nerve network. This complex system is based on one kind of cell the neurons. The brain, the mass of tissue inside the head, has the greatest number of these cells, most of which are in it’s outer part, the cerebrum. Below the cerebrum is the cerebellum and the brain stem, which is linked to the spinal cord.

Muscular dystrophy is the collective term used to represent genetic disorders characterized by progressive weakening of muscles and wasting of muscle tissue. The term dys refers to abnormal and trophy represents growth. The term muscular dystrophy refers to inadequate/defective growth of the muscle.

Myotonic dystrophy is the most common form of muscular disease, which affects adults. The disease is also called as Steinert's disease, named after the doctor who first described it in the year 1909. The term myotonia is used to refer to a defect in the muscle fibers, that results in abnormal, prolonged muscular spasm. It is seen in approximately 1 in 7500 to 8000 live births.