Parkinson’s Vs Parkinsonian Syndrome

I see references to Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and never hear about the more common Parkinsonian Syndrome. In my experience, the people I see with true Parkinson’s usually have and earlier onset with a far more aggressive symptom progression. 

I watched Parkinsonian Syndrome in my family. My grandmother had a noticeable tremor. By noticeable, I mean that even as a 10 year-old, I was aware of her symptoms, especially when trying to write with pen and paper. She didn’t have the hesitation in her gait or loss of facial muscle control that you might see in Parkinson’s.  Also the rate of symptom progression didn’t seem that fast to me.   

My younger brother also developed something similar to our grandmother. The shakiness left him with a type of disability. 

Parkinson's disease is a specific, progressive neurodegenerative condition.   

Parkinsonian syndrome (or parkinsonism) is a broader, umbrella term for a collection of symptoms—including tremor, slowness of movement (bradykinesia), and stiffness (rigidity)—that resemble Parkinson's disease but can have many different causes, such as medications, other neurological disorders (like atypical parkinsonism), or even head trauma. 

Parkinson's Disease (PD) 

Definition: A specific, progressive neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting movement and cognition.  

Cause: Caused mainly by the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine.  

Symptoms: Includes the classic triad of tremor, slowness of movement, and rigidity.

Treatment: Often responsive to dopamine-based medications like levodopa. 

Parkinsonian Syndrome (Parkinsonism) 

Definition: A descriptive term for a set of motor symptoms (tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and gait/balance issues) that can result from various underlying conditions. 

Causes: A wide array of causes, including:

Medications: Drug-induced parkinsonism is a common and often reversible cause.

Other neurological conditions: Such as atypical Parkinsonian syndromes like progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) or multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Vascular issues: Small strokes can lead to vascular parkinsonism.

Toxins and metabolic diseases: Exposure to heavy metals or conditions like Wilson's disease can also cause symptoms.  

Symptoms: Share the core symptoms with Parkinson's but may include additional, atypical symptoms not seen in PD.

Treatment: May not respond to standard Parkinson's medications, as the underlying cause dictates the treatment approach.

 

Key Differences Summarized

Scope: Parkinson's disease is one specific disease, while Parkinsonian syndrome is a broader category of symptoms with various causes. 

Cause: Parkinson's disease has a specific degenerative cause, whereas Parkinsonian syndrome's cause can vary widely.  

Diagnosis: A diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is a specific diagnosis, while a diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndrome indicates the presence of symptoms but requires further investigation to find the underlying cause. 

Check Your Medication Effects List

If you see yourself in some of the Parkinsonian Syndrome symptoms, look carefully at the side effects list of each medication you are taking. Note both common and rare effects. 

Maybe your doc can recommend an alternative if you find some of symptoms on that long product insert that comes with each medication.   

A Possible Supplement To Quiet Symptoms

If your symptoms seem to be independent of any medication, you might try some supplements that help your brain make dopamine.  One product we have used for many years is NeuroScience ExcitaPlus.  It has been our experience that you can take this as needed as sometimes the shaky symptoms come and go.   

Another Neuroscience product to try if the ExcitaPlus isn’t quite doing the job is Balance D. You will have to experiment to see which works better for you. Personally, I use ExcitaPlus mostly but have Balance D handy if that isn’t doing the job.

DS 2025