London, United Kingdom – A recent analysis suggests that individuals over the age of 50 who experience anxiety may have up to twice the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to their peers without anxiety. The study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, examined primary care data from the United Kingdom.
Researchers analyzed data from 109,435 individuals aged 50 and older who were diagnosed with anxiety between 2008 and 2018. They compared this group to 987,691 individuals without anxiety. Over the course of the study, 331 patients with anxiety were found to develop Parkinson’s disease, with the average time between the first anxiety diagnosis and the onset of Parkinson’s being 4.9 years.
Even after adjusting for age, lifestyle factors, and other variables, individuals with anxiety were still twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those without anxiety. The study also found that the patients who developed Parkinson’s were more likely to be male and from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.
In addition to anxiety, researchers identified other factors associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. These factors included depression, sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment, tremor, rigidity, balance impairment, and constipation. Conversely, individuals with dizziness, shoulder pain, and urinary or erectile problems were found to be less likely to develop the condition.
According to Professor Anette Schrag, a co-leader of the study and expert in clinical neurosciences, anxiety is not as well-researched as other early indicators of Parkinson’s disease. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between anxiety and Parkinson’s in order to improve treatment options for individuals in the early stages of the disease.
Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder in the United States, affecting up to 1 million Americans. While the disease is most commonly diagnosed in individuals aged 60 and older, around 10 percent of cases are diagnosed before the age of 50, with early symptoms often going unnoticed.