Common condition that plagues 1 in 10 Brits could be an early sign of Parkinson’s – are you at risk?
HAVING anxiety could be an early sign of Parkinson’s, a new study suggests.
Researchers found over-50s with the mental health condition – which affects around one in 10 Brits – were twice as likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s than those without.
The authors said: “There was a two-fold increase in risk of Parkinson’s in patients with first presentation of anxiety aged above 50.
“The clinical features of those who developed Parkinson’s can help identify patients presenting with anxiety who are in the early stage of the condition.”
They hope their findings will lead to earlier diagnoses and better treatments.
To investigate the link, scientists at University College London used UK primary care data from 109,435 patients who had developed anxiety after the age of 50 and compared them to 878,256 matched controls who did not have anxiety between 2008 and 2018.
They then tracked the presence of Parkinson’s symptoms – such as sleep problems, depression, tremor and balance impairment – from the point of their anxiety diagnosis up until one year before the date of a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
The team found that the risk of developing Parkinson’s increased two-fold in people with anxiety, compared to the control group.
Symptoms like depression, sleep disturbance, fatigue, cognitive impairment, low blood pressure, tremor, rigidity, poor balance and constipation were also found to be risk factors for developing Parkinson’s in people with anxiety.
The results, published in the British Journal of General Practice, were adjusted to account for age, sex, social deprivation, lifestyle factors, severe mental illness, head trauma and dementia.
Co-lead author Dr Juan Bazo Alvarez, from UCL’s Department of Epidemiology and Health, said: “Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative condition worldwide, and it is estimated that it will affect 14.2million people by 2040.
“Anxiety is known to be a feature of the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, but prior to our study, the prospective risk of Parkinson’s in those over the age of 50 with new-onset anxiety was unknown.
“By understanding that anxiety and the mentioned features are linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease over the age of 50, we hope that we may be able to detect the condition earlier and help patients get the treatment they need.”
Parkinson’s disease is the world’s fastest growing neurodegenerative disorder and currently affects nearly 10million people across the globe.
The condition is a progressive disorder that is caused by the death of nerve cells in the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, which controls movement.
These nerve cells die or become impaired, losing the ability to produce an important chemical called dopamine, due to the build-up of a protein called alpha-synuclein.
Everything you need to know about Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition, meaning that it causes problems in the brain and gets worse over time.
It affects around 153,000 people in the UK.
People with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working.
This can cause a range of more than 40 symptoms, but the three main ones are:
- Tremor (shaking)
- Slow movement
- Rigidity (muscle stiffness)
Other common signs include:
- Mild memory and thinking problems
- Trouble sleeping
- Issues with balance
- Pain
- Anxiety and depression
- Shuffling walk with very small steps
- Difficulty making facial expressions
- Loss of sense of smell
- Problems peeing
- Constipation
The four main ways of managing Parkinson’s include medication, staying active, exploring occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language therapy, and monitoring symptoms.
Source: Parkinson’s UK and NHS
Co-lead author Professor Anette Schrag, from UCL’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology, said: “Anxiety is not as well researched as other early indicators of Parkinson’s disease.
“Further research should explore how the early occurrence of anxiety relates to other early symptoms and to the underlying progression of Parkinson’s in its early stages.
“This may lead to better treatment of the condition in its earliest stages.”
Earlier this year, scientists at UCL revealed they had developed a simple blood test that uses artificial intelligence to predict Parkinson’s up to seven years before the onset of symptoms.
What actually is anxiety?
Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid.
It is a natural human response when we feel under threat, and most people experience it at times.
Anxiety becomes a mental health problem if it impacts your ability to live your life as fully as you want to. For example:
- If your feelings of anxiety are very strong or last a long time
- Your fears or worries are out of proportion to the situation
- You avoid situations that might cause you to feel anxious
- Your worries feel very distressing or are hard to control
- You find it hard to go about your everyday life
- You regularly experience symptoms of anxiety
There are dozens of symptoms of anxiety that can affect the body and the mind.
This can be everything from a churning feeling in your stomach to sleeping problems to feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down.
Around one in 10 people in the UK have anxiety at any one time.
There are various treatments available, including self-help resources, talking therapies, and medication.
If you struggling with anxiety, speak to your GP or call Mind’s infoline on 0300 123 3393.
Source: Mind