According to statistics, there are approximately 50,000 Americans diagnosed with this illness every year; getting an exact and precise count of the cases poses to be challenging due to the fact that not all people suffering from Parkinson's disease are aware that they are. Since this disease usually affects people over or on their fifties, most think that the early symptoms of this disease are just normal results of aging.

The cause of this disease is the advancing degeneration or decaying of the nerve cells in a person's brain. Sadly, the definite reason for this disease is not yet known thus there is yet no known cure for this. This is why yearly estimated cost for research for the cure for this disease is said to surmount 6 billion USD. The researches being done provides hope with the primary aim to find treatment and cure for Parkinson's disease, as well as promote awareness and support.

Several researches are being currently done and some fall under clinical trials and others under fundamental researches. Examples of clinical trials are the study of neuroprotective agent, the study of antidepressants in Parkinson’s disease and the safety study of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease.

• Neuroprotective Agent Study - deals with identifying treatments that may repress the advancement of Parkinson's disease.

• Study of Antidepressants in Parkinson's Disease - deals with comparing medications to give better help to people with Parkinson's diseases and are also depressives.
  

• Safety Study of Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease - deals with brain stimulation where the gene is injected into a brain part called the putamen. When injected, the gene transforms levodopa into dopamine.

Other studies that fall under fundamental research are the biologic markers of Parkinson's disease, genetics of Parkinson's disease and pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. Other foundations are also conducting different kinds of researches and examples of these are the investigations into environmental, genetic and age-related risk factors for Parkinson's disease and the mechanisms of dyskinesias.

• Biologic Markers of Parkinson's Disease - to determine if abnormalities of proteins in blood can be found in patients with Parkinson's disease. This test could aid in confirming a Parkinson's disease analysis.
  

• Genetics of Parkinson's Disease - a study that aims to know if genetics play a role in Parkinson's disease by locating patients with a living sibling who also have Parkinson's disease.

• Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease - a study that aims to understand the cause of Parkinson's disease.