Parkinson's disease: early signs and symptoms to look out for after John Stapleton reveals diagnosis

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Hereā€™s what you need to know šŸ„
  • BBC Presenter John Stapleton has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinsonā€™s disease.
  • There are 153,000 people in the UK living with Parkinsonā€™s disease.
  • Parkinsonā€™s disease is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

BBC presenter John Stapleton has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinsonā€™s disease. The 78-year-old who is best known for hosting Newsnight, Panorama and GMTVā€™s News Hour, revealed his diagnosis in a clip yesterday (October 21) on BBC Oneā€™s Morning Live.

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Stapleton opened up about his diagnosis in an interview alongside his son Nick, the veteran presenter said: ā€œSpeaking is how Iā€™ve earned my living for the best part of 50 years.ā€ He added: ā€œI am fairly pragmatic about the prospect of this getting worse. I try to remain positive, because whatā€™s the point of not being?ā€

The pair discussed the future, with Nick, who is also a BBC presenter, asking his father how he could best support him. Stapleton said: ā€œI want to remain as independent as I can for as long as I possibly can. In terms of the house, Iā€™d be very reluctant to leave it, which shall not surprise you at all.ā€

BBC host John Stapleton has revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's diseaseBBC host John Stapleton has revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease
BBC host John Stapleton has revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease | BBC Studios/PA Wire

Parkinsonā€™s disease is a progressive neurological condition that causes parts of the brain to become damaged over time. It is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, with Parkinsonā€™s UK revealing that 153,000 people live with the condition in the UK. Hereā€™s everything you need to know about the early signs and symptoms.

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What is Parkinsonā€™s Disease?

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition that causes parts of the brain to become damage over time. It is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, with Parkinsonā€™s UK revealing that 153,000 in the UK live with the condition.

What are signs and symptoms of Parkinsonā€™s?

Parkinsonā€™s symptoms tend to develop when people are over the age of 50, although the NHS explain that some people will experience their first symptoms when they are under the age of 40.

Early signs of Parkinsonā€™s can include tremors and stiff and inflexible muscles, the NHS explain other symptoms can include:

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  • depressionĀ andĀ anxiety
  • balance problems (thisĀ may increase the chances of aĀ fall)
  • loss of sense of smellĀ (anosmia)
  • problems sleepingĀ (insomnia)
  • memory problems

What is the cause of Parkinsonā€™s disease?

Parkinsonā€™s is caused when people donā€™t have enough of the chemical dopamine in their system, because some of the nerve cells that create it are not working. Parkinsonā€™s UK explain that without dopamine people can feel like their movement is affected and it can take longer to do things.

The reason why people get Parkinsonā€™s is not exactly known, it is not thought to be genetic, but there has been some evidence that environmental factors may lead to its development.

There is no cure for Parkinsonā€™s disease, treatment options are available however the condition is progressive which means that it can get worse over time.

You can find out more about the signs and symptoms of Parkinsonā€™s Disease on NHS.UK and can find support available at Parkinsonā€™s UK.

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