Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Parkinsonian syndromes are a heterogeneous entity of movement disorders, which can be subdivided into idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, rare genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease as well as symptomatic and atypical parkinsonian syndromes. In addition, a number of other neurodegenerative disorders may show clinical signs of Parkinsonism. The etiology, histopathology, clinical manifestation and disease course varies significantly among these disorders. A correct and early differential diagnosis therefore is essential for proper prognostic estimation and consultancy of the patient as well as a prerequisite for inclusion in clinical studies. This chapter will summarize diagnostic criteria mainly focussing on the diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD) and delineate specific factors to differentiate this disorder from other disease entities.