Parkinson's disease is named after which individual?

Parkinson's disease is named after James Parkinson, an English physician who first described the condition in depth in his 1817 work titled "Essay on the Shaking Palsy." Parkinson accurately detailed the symptoms and characteristics of what would later be recognized as a neurological disorder, leading to the condition being named in his honor. His observations were pivotal in the understanding of the disease, which primarily affects movement control.

The other individuals listed do not have a connection to this specific medical condition. Pierre Curie was a French physicist known for his research on radioactivity, Ludwig van Beethoven was a renowned composer known for his musical contributions, and John Smith does not have significant historical ties to the study of Parkinson's disease. Thus, the attribution of the disease to James Parkinson emphasizes the significance of his early contributions to neurology and medicine.