Parkinson and Movement Disorders in Turkey

Parkinson disease is diagnosed clinically

There is no blood test or scan that confirms it. The neurologist examines slowness, resting tremor, rigidity and postural instability, and scores the findings with the UPDRS. The decisive question is whether the picture is genuinely Parkinson disease or an atypical parkinsonism such as MSA or PSP, a distinction that shapes both treatment response and outlook. Where the diagnosis remains uncertain, a DaTSCAN may be requested.

A clear response to medication is expected in Parkinson disease, while atypical syndromes respond poorly. This is why the time you take your medication and how you change through the day, your on and off periods, can be more informative than the examination itself.

What you are asked to prepare

• Short videos of your tremor and walking: one about an hour after taking medication, one as the effect wears off
• A medication timetable: which drug, at what time, and how well you felt afterwards
• Falls history: how many, in which direction, and when the first fall happened
• Associated symptoms such as loss of smell, shouting or moving during sleep, constipation
• All medicines you take; some stomach and psychiatric drugs can produce a similar picture

Process and timing

Without imaging, examination and treatment adjustment can be completed within two days. If a DaTSCAN is requested, planning 3 to 4 days including appointment and reporting is realistic. The effect of a medication change usually settles over 3 to 4 weeks.