Parkinson’s disease is progressive and irreversible: it gradually gets worse over time. How fast this process happens varies from person to person. Many people can live for years without serious problems.
However, with time, symptoms cause people to have problems doing daily activities and with interfere with their cognition (thinking and memory). For example, up to 80 percent of people with the disease will develop a type of Parkinson’s disease-associated dementia. Generally, this takes about 10 years from the start of the first movement problems.
Parkinson’s has no cure. Some medications and treatments may help improve the person’s symptoms and quality of life.
Over one million adults in the U.S. have Parkinson’s disease. Typically, they are aged 60 and older. The percentage of older adults with Parkinson’s rises from 1 percent at age 60 to 3 percent at age 80.
Last Updated March 2023