Dear Dr. Lees, My name is Robert James Keene. I was born in nineteen fifty-eight in Cannock Staffordshire and have had symptomatic Parkinsonism for most of my life, almost certainly since the age of thirteen due to anxiety and hyperactivity issues. I was showing very early signs of loss of coordination whilst learning to swim when I was unable to kick with my legs and stroke with my arms in a coordinated fashion. By fifteen I was having difficulty learning to play the guitar because I couldn't strum and play chords at the same time but who would have seen a connection with Parkinson's in the early seventies for somebody so young? I was eventually diagnosed at the age of twenty-nine but I suspect it was developing in my teenage years certainly by the age of nineteen when I began dragging my left leg for no apparent reason and stopped swinging my left arm whilst walking. I am now sixty-five and have to live with severe dyskinesia due to taking five doses of Madopar per day, the only reason being that it helps with mobility. I have developed the traditional Parkinson's stoop as well as other symptoms such as freezing gait and shuffling. Indeed all the obvious indications of Parkinsonism and yet something has never felt quite right about the diagnosis. Is it possible without reviewing my case notes that hyperactivity and anxiety issues could lead to junior Parkinson's syndrome? Or should it have been treated as a hyperactive thyroid due to high levels of adrenalin in my bloodstream? Indeed there was some doubt at the time as my initial treatment was propranolol due to hyperactivity and anxiety. I was asked if I had ever been involved in crop spraying or had used hard drugs but my answer was always the same. I was eventually officially diagnosed with Junior Parkinson's syndrome and yet something didn't feel quite right. If you consider all the facts it would seem to indicate Parkinson's, but is it? In fairness to you and because I realize that time is money I wouldn't expect you to reply but if you find my letter of interest I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the possible connection between adrenalin and Parkinson's. Yours sincerely, Robert James Keene