What is your risk for Parkinson’s disease?

What is your risk for Parkinson’s disease?

An estimated seven to ten million people wake up every day to Parkinson’s disease, a progressive, incurable, and long-term brain disorder. Parkinson’s disease was first brought to light in 1817 by James Parkinson, a British doctor who published a paper describing symptoms of the disease on what he called “the shaking palsy.”  This neurological condition which would go on to bear his name has affected millions of people through the years.  Many famous celebrities have been diagnosed with the disease including Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Janet Reno, and Linda Ronstadt. 

Parkinson’s disease cuts across all boundaries of age, race, religion or geographical borders.  About 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease each year however diagnosis is difficult as there are no medical tests that can determine it with certainty and other conditions may produce symptoms of Parkinson’s. 

Parkinson’s disease has four main symptoms:

·      Tremor, or trembling in hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head

·      Rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk

·      Bradykinesia, or slowness of movement

·      Postural instability, or impaired balance

Risk factors of Parkinson’s disease

Even though Parkinson’s can be hard to diagnosis and the cause remains unknown, there are known risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing Parkinson’s disease which include the following:

·      Age

The average age of onset is 60 years old with the risk increasing as you get older.  It is one of the most common late-life neurodegenerative diseases affecting 1.5 to 2 percent of the population past the age of 60.  There is what is called young-set Parkinson’s which occurs before the age of 40. 

·      Gender

Parkinson’s disease affects both men and women but it affects about 50 percent more men than women. 

·      Family history

The vast majority of people have no family history of Parkinson’s but about 14 percent of people with the disease have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) who is living with the condition. 

At present, there are seven genes that cause some form of Parkinson’s disease that have been identified and that can increase a person’s chance of developing the disease.  Even if you carry the gene, it does not automatically mean you would develop Parkinson’s.

·      Exposure to toxins

It has been shown that exposure to a number of pesticides and herbicides can be toxic to the brain if a person is repeatedly exposed to them and for a prolonged time which could develop into Parkinson’s disease.  If a person is genetically susceptible, the chances may be increased two- to six-fold.

·      Head trauma

There have been studies supporting the observation that head injuries, particularly those involving a concussion or loss of consciousness, may increase the risk of Parkinson’s. 

·      Geography

Depending on where you live may determine your risk for Parkinson’s.  People living in Asia and Africa had lower incidences of Parkinson’s disease than people living in Europe and North America.  In the United States, the highest incidences of Parkinson’s were found in the Midwest and Northeastern U.S.

·      Ethnicity

When compared to individuals of African or Asian descent, Caucasians are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.  Two particular ethnic backgrounds, Ashkenazi Jewish and North African Arab Berbers, have a significantly higher prevalence of Parkinson’s disease. 

Understanding Parkinson’s disease

To learn more about Parkinson’s disease visit Parkinson.org or to find our more on how to volunteer, donate or raise funds, visit The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research which is dedicated to finding a cure for this disease.