More than a decade after retiring from football, Brett Favre says he has Parkinson’s disease.

Favre told a congressional hearing Tuesday that he had recently been diagnosed. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, there are nearly 90,000 new cases of Parkinson’s in the U.S. each year.

Here are some questions and answers about the disease:

Parkinson’s is a neurological disease that takes away control of movement. It usually begins with tremors and is characterized by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems, and slurred speech.

About 1 million Americans live with Parkinson’s, and 10 million worldwide, the foundation estimates. It usually appears after age 60, although it can sometimes develop before age 50.

The exact cause is unknown, but Parkinson’s develops when cells that produce one of the brain’s chemical messengers, dopamine, begin to deteriorate and die. Dopamine carries signals to parts of the brain that control movement. Parkinson’s symptoms appear after enough dopamine-producing cells die that there is too little of this neurotransmitter in the brain.

According to the foundation, most experts believe that genetics and environmental factors are the cause of the disease. Dozens of gene mutations linked to Parkinson’s have been discovered, and genetics account for 10% to 15% of all Parkinson’s cases, the group says. Other factors thought to increase risk include head injuries, exposure to pesticides and herbicides, and where you live. Favre said on a radio show in 2022 that he estimates he’s suffered “thousands” of concussions during his two decades in the NFL.

There is no cure, but there are treatments, including medications that affect dopamine levels and a surgically implanted device that blocks tremors. Patients may also benefit from physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Symptoms worsen over time, usually slowly. The severity of symptoms and how quickly they progress varies widely between patients. In advanced cases, people may be unable to walk or care for themselves. They may also suffer from depression and memory and thinking problems.

Although Parkinson’s disease itself is not fatal, people can die from complications of the disease, including lung problems because muscle weakness makes it difficult to cough and swallow.

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