A new study from University College London (UCL) finds that people with anxiety are twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared to those without anxiety.
This connection is significant for those who develop anxiety after the age of 50. The discovery could help improve the diagnosis and early treatment of Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s disease affects more than 8.5 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. The disease worsens over time and includes symptoms like balance issues, uncontrollable movements, shaking, loss of smell, sleep problems, and trouble thinking clearly.
Juan Bazo Alvarez, the co-lead author of the study, stated that anxiety is often seen in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease. However, before their research, the risk of developing Parkinson’s for those over 50 with new anxiety was not known.
Anxiety leading to Parkinson’s disease in adults above 50
The UCL team published their findings in the British Journal of General Practice. They used primary care data from the U.K. covering the years 2008 to 2018. The study involved 109,435 adults who developed anxiety after turning 50. Researchers compared them to 878,256 similar adults without anxiety.
The team accounted for differences in age, gender, economic background, lifestyle, mental health, head injuries, and dementia. They discovered that adults who developed anxiety after 50 were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared to those without anxiety.
Anxiety Doubles Parkinson’s Risk
A new study found that people over 50 with anxiety have double the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers analyzed UK primary care data from 2008-2018, comparing over 109,000 patients with anxiety to 878,000 without.
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People with anxiety often experience other symptoms like depression, low blood pressure, shaking, stiffness, balance problems, constipation, sleep issues, and fatigue. These symptoms are also linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Juan Bazo Alvarez explained that by understanding the link between anxiety and these symptoms with a higher risk of Parkinson’s after age 50, they hope to detect the disease earlier and help patients receive the necessary treatment.
Anxiety detection leads to earlier diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s
Professor Anette Schrag, co-lead author from UCL’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology, emphasized that understanding these connections could improve early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
“Anxiety hasn’t been studied as extensively as other early signs of Parkinson’s disease,” she explained. Further research should investigate how early issues with anxiety relate to other symptoms and the progression of Parkinson’s in its initial stages. This exploration could potentially enhance the treatment of the disease during its earliest phases rather than later.
The researchers recommend that future studies look into why people over 50 who develop anxiety are at higher risk for Parkinson’s disease and whether the severity of anxiety influences their outcomes.
Scientists from UCL and University Medical Centre Goettingen, Germany, have collaborated on producing a new blood test. This test relies on artificial intelligence to forecast the onset of Parkinson’s disease up to seven years before symptom onset, as reported by Neuroscience News.
This was shown first on: https://greekreporter.com/2024/07/02/anxiety-doubles-parkinsons-risk-older-adults/
