Parkinson’s disease is caused by the brain becoming progressively more damaged over time, said the NHS.
It’s caused by a loss of nerve cells in the brain. These nerve cells help to send messages between the brain and the nervous system.
Parkinson’s disease symptoms tend to develop slowly, and only appear as mild at first.
You could be at risk of Parkinson’s disease if you find subtle changes to your handwriting, it’s been revealed.
Finding it more difficult to write could be an early warning sign of the brain condition, said medical website WebMD.
Some patients also find that their handwriting becomes smaller, it said.
It could be caused by changes in the brain making movement more difficult.
Having smaller, more cramped handwriting than in the past could also be a warning sign of the condition.
“Parkinson’s disease signs and symptoms can be different for everyone,” said the medical website.
“Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms begin to affect both sides.
“It may become hard to write, and your writing may appear small.”
The Parkinson’s Foundation added: “You may notice the way you write words on a page has changed, such as letter sizes are smaller and the words are crowded together.
“A change in handwriting may be a sign of Parkinson’s disease called micrographia.”
You could also be at risk of Parkinson’s disease if you find small changes in the way you speak.
Patients may find themselves speaking softer or quicker. They could also hesitate before talking.
The most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include involuntary shaking, slow movement, and having stiff muscles.
Speak to a GP if you’re worried about the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, said the NHS.
There are about 127,000 people in the UK with Parkinson’s disease – the equivalent to about one in 500 people.
Most patients begin to develop symptoms after they turn 50 years old.
Men are slightly more likely to develop the brain condition than women.