Stanford PD Community Blog

Author Rachel Reid, whose novels were adapted into the “Heated Rivalry” TV series, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2023. She said in a video on social media, “When good things happen, sometimes the universe hands you some worse stuff to balance it out and for me that’s been that my Parkinson’s symptoms have gotten a bit worse and it’s made it difficult physically to write. I’m definitely a lot slower and that’s just something I need to learn how to navigate and kind of face instead of ignoring.” 

Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects approximately one million people in the U.S. and yet, so much about it is still misunderstood. 

That’s why we’re inviting you to test your knowledge below in our fact or fiction quiz. Click each statement (careful, some are fiction!) to uncover truth and understand more about this chronic disorder.

FACT or FICTION?

This article in the “Washington Post” describes four symptoms that can occur a decade or more before the classic movement symptoms of Parkinson’s.  The four symptoms are loss of sense of smell, acting out dreams, constipation, and postural low blood pressure.  The author notes that this early stage of Parkinson’s is known as the prodromal phase. 

The Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is collecting data from thousands of volunteers to learn more about the disease’s origins to lead to new treatments

An article in the Washington Post shares four tips that may reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease:  drink caffeinated coffee or tea; be careful about dry-cleaning (if the cleaner uses PCE); avoid pesticides (switch to organic produce; wash your produce); and use a water filter (especially if there are golf courses in your area or if you use well water).