neurochemistry (Parkinson’s disease)

The balance and distribution of chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) of the brain and nervous system. There is an intricate and complex interplay among them, making it virtually impossible to separate one from the other. Parkinson’s is a disease of altered neuro-chemistry; the dopamine depletion that results from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the basal ganglia (brain structures that control movement) distorts and disrupts neurotransmitter functions. Most anti-parkinson’s medications target the brain’s neurochemistry by attempting to restore dopamine levels or to change the brain’s neurochemical balance by inhibiting other neuro-transmitters.