When about 80 percent of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear. The loss of dopamine production in the brain causes symptoms such as tremors, slowness of movement, stiffness and difficulty with balance.

Diagnosing Parkinson's disease can be difficult. There is no X-ray or simple blood test to detect it. A doctor typically arrives at the diagnosis after a thorough exam. There are several medications that help ease the symptoms of Parkinson's. The medicines most commonly used attempt to either replace or mimic dopamine, which helps improve tremor, rigidity and slowness. Several new medications are currently being studied that may slow down the progression. Surgery can also ease the symptoms, but it is not a cure. (Source: National Parkinson Foundation)

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently conducted a study to determine if dancing could help patients with Parkinson's disease.

They studied patients who took part in 20 sessions of regular tango dance classes. The researchers compared the effects of the dance classes to those of traditional exercise classes. The tango classes included stretching, balance exercises, tango-style walking, footwork patterns, experimenting with timing of steps to music and dancing with and without a partner. The exercise classes included 40 minutes of seated exercise followed by standing moves supported by a chair and core strengthening and stretching.