Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Updated : May 30, 2026 1:07 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Amit Prakash Singh
Parkinson’s disease.
Do you ever notice that your hands shake as you try to grab your coffee cup? Or do your legs ever feel heavy and hard to lift? These subtle changes that you might notice are often unsettling and many times result in individuals immediately thinking about having Parkinson's disease. But it is important to note that not all physical symptoms represent Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's involves the gradual loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra. According to Dr. Alap Christy, Head of Global Reference Lab, Metropolis Healthcare Limited Mumbai when these cells die the ability of the brain to send the various chemical signals required to coordinate smooth movements.
He explained, "Parkinson's occurs after the age of 50 and is usually thought of as presenting with rest tremors or bradykinesia which is a very slow movement. These two characteristics are certainly not the only ones associated with Parkinson's but they are two of the most commonly known. In addition to the aforementioned motor symptoms individuals with Parkinson's may develop non-motor symptoms such as sleep disorders, constipation, mood disorders and problems with swallowing."
The most common conditions that mimic parkinson's have a genetic root and mostly triggered by stress and anxiety. The doctor explains, "This only happens when you're doing something like holding a cup of coffee or writing your name. It won't show up when you're sitting still, resting or relaxing. Another tricky mimic is normal pressure hydrocephalus which happens when extra fluid builds up in the brain. Unlike Parkinson's, draining this fluid with a tube can often make these problems go away completely."
According to the healthcare professional some medications like those used for mental health issues can also suddenly cause shaking and stiffness that mimics Parkinson's. Small strokes or damage to tiny blood vessels in the brain can make walking hard without much arm shaking which is different from Parkinson's. None of these will respond to the standard Parkinson's treatments, so it's key to catch them early.
One second: hands shaking like crazy.
Next second: completely still. Doctors just switched off Parkinson's tremors in real time with focused ultrasound. No surgery, no implants. Patient tested it instantly on camera. This looks like sci-fi. So... why isn't everyone pic.twitter.com/HX0bQxPtAy Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 9, 2026
Clinical examination by a Neurologist is critical for identifying the nuances of each movement disorder. As per Dr. Christy imaging studies such as DaTscan (SPECT) can help differentiate between Parkinson's and its mimics. He said, "DaTscan shows a dopamine deficit in Parkinson's patients while it is normal in other patients. MRI imaging may also help rule out other conditions."
The doctor went on to explain that blood tests can look for hidden immune system problems that attack the brain which can cause shaking and stiffness that looks exactly like Parkinson's but can get better with medications which help the overactive immune system to calm down. One key set of these tests checks for auto-antibodies which are like misdirected defence cells in your blood that accidentally attack your own nerve cells.
Dr. Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant of Internal Medicine at the CK Birla Hospitals Delhi also added that blood work is essential to diagnosing autoimmune neurological illnesses. It can identify auto-antibodies produced by your immune system that "mistakenly" attack your body and can identify a treatable condition as opposed to the typical degenerative brain ageing process.
Here are the auto-antibodies you should look for as per Dr. Christy:
These tests aren't just about ruling out Parkinson's but they are also to uncover curable causes. For example patients with anti-LGI1 encephalitis may regain full function with IVIG, steroids or plasma exchange. In short a tremor or slow walk isn't automatically Parkinson's. Early evaluation by a neurologist combined with targeted blood tests and imaging can reveal whether the root cause is stress, medication, fluid buildup, immune dysfunction or even cancer.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment regarding Parkinson's or neurological disorders.
