There are different forms of Parkinson’s, so clinicians are looking for clusters of diagnostic pointers that add up to  a reasonable degree of certainty.

Experienced neurologists recognise some symptoms literally the moment the patient walks in through the door: gait, facial expression, posture or even a slight stoop are all potentially boxes to tick for the health professional.

Basic tests include holding out both hands, then rapidly clenching and unclenching the fists for as long as possible. The Parkinson’s symptom they are looking for is a slowing down in the hands as dopamine levels drop: this can occur within 10 to 15 seconds.

Parkinson’s medications are prescribed for a wide range of symptoms that add up to a spectrum, making it a broad and diverse condition to identify. The one procedure that positively confirms Parkinson’s as a diagnosis is a DAT scan, mentioned here. It is the one technique that measures dopamine levels at a specific location.

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