Quick summary

Parkinson's disease is a complex and progressive neurological disorder. Symptoms differ greatly from person to person, so much so that there's no predicting for sure which ones a patient will experience or how quickly. No cure exists yet. However, as neurological disorders go, this one is among the most treatable. Responses to treatment vary, but medications can give a patient substantial symptom relief and a good quality of life for many years, sometimes a decade or more. When drugs aren't enough, brain surgery may be an option. Here's a primer on the disease.