People with autism may be at a higher risk of developing
Parkinson’s disease, according to a large-scale study conducted by
scientists from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and New York’s Mount
Sinai Hospital, Azernews reports.
Researchers analyzed health data from over two million
individuals born in Sweden between 1974 and 1999, tracking them
from age 20 through 2022. The study used national health registries
to explore a potential link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
and Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition.
Parkinson’s is caused by the destruction of nerve cells
responsible for producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential
for motor control. Previous studies have suggested that
dopamine-related mechanisms may also be involved in autism.
Even after accounting for known risk factors—such as genetics,
depression, and the use of antipsychotic medications—researchers
found that individuals diagnosed with autism were nearly twice as
likely to develop Parkinson’s compared to those without the
diagnosis.
However, the study authors caution against panic:
“It’s important to remember that both conditions are still
relatively rare, and the absolute number of cases remains low,”
said epidemiologists from the Karolinska Institute.
Published in the journal JAMA Neurology, the findings do not
suggest that all people with autism should be screened for
Parkinson’s. Instead, the data point to shared biological pathways
that may underlie both conditions.
The study observed participants only up to age 50, meaning the
findings are primarily relevant to early-onset Parkinson’s.
“It would be valuable to continue monitoring this group to
determine whether the risk increases with age,” researchers added.
“However, even among those with autism, Parkinson’s remains a rare
diagnosis before age 50.”
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