Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms and Diagnosis

Nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease don’t affect movement, but rather your mood, senses, and ability to think.

Common nonmotor symptoms include:

Autonomic Dysfunction The autonomic nervous system controls automatic functions of the body, including heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, sweating, urination, and sexual arousal.

Any of these body functions can become abnormal in Parkinson’s disease, leading to issues like low blood pressure upon standing up (causing dizziness), constipation, urinary difficulties, abnormal sweating, and a decreased interest in sex.

Cognitive Problems and Dementia Problems with thinking, memory, multitasking, and judging distances are estimated to occur in 40 percent or more of people with Parkinson’s.

Hallucinations often become more frequent and severe as the disease progresses.

Some people with Parkinson’s also have delusions, including false beliefs that they’re in danger, being stolen from, or being cheated on by a spouse.

Mood Disorders Some people with Parkinson’s become depressed, anxious, or apathetic — lacking the motivation to walk, talk, or express emotion.

These problems may be caused or worsened by difficulty turning over in bed, muscle cramps or pain, a frequent need to urinate, or vivid dreams and nightmares.

Up to half of people with Parkinson’s disease may have REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), in which a person physically acts out their dreams in their sleep. Dreams associated with RBD are often frightening, and the person may react by kicking, punching, or shouting. This can be dangerous for both the person experiencing the dream and their bed partner.

Daytime Sleepiness Excessive daytime sleepiness affects up to 75 percent of people with Parkinson’s. It may be worsened by medication for the disease.

Some people with Parkinson’s may fall asleep suddenly, which can be very dangerous if they drive a car.

Talk to your doctor about adjusting your medication if you experience this symptom.