A new study published in the British Journal of General Practice has shed light on the connection between anxiety and Parkinson’s disease in people over the age of 50. The research examined primary care data from the United Kingdom, looking at a group of 109,435 individuals aged 50 and older who were diagnosed with their first episode of anxiety between 2008 and 2018.
The study found that those with anxiety were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared to those without anxiety, even after adjusting for various factors such as age, lifestyle, and mental illness. On average, patients who developed Parkinson’s did so 4.9 years after their initial anxiety diagnosis. Additionally, the study found that factors like depression, sleep disturbances, fatigue, cognitive impairment, low blood pressure, tremor, rigidity, balance impairment, constipation, as well as dizziness, shoulder pain, and urinary and erectile problems were associated with the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease.
According to Anette Schrag, a professor of clinical neurosciences at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and co-leader of the study: “Further research focusing on anxiety is warranted to better understand early indicators of Parkinson’s disease.” This research could help improve treatment options for individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in its early stages.
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the United States and can affect up to 1 million Americans. While it is typically diagnosed in individuals aged 60 and older, there are also cases where it occurs before age 50. Early signs of Parkinson’s disease can often be overlooked which highlights the importance of further research and understanding of this debilitating condition.
