A new study published on Thursday found that approximately 90,000 older Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease every year.
Dr. Michael Okun, chair of neurology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, has stated that due to the rising prevalence of Parkinson’s disease and the associated costs of treatment and lost income, everyone will be affected by the condition in some way.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
A condition like this might bankrupt the healthcare system, said Okun, who was not involved in the research but is a medical adviser to the Parkinson’s Foundation. We should all be concerned about this, the speaker said.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative illness characterized by the gradual breakdown of brain circuitry critical for motor control, cognition, and behavior. Along with anxiety, sadness, and sleep problems, it can induce tremors, stiffness, slowness, and falls.
Famous persons with Parkinson’s include actors Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda, boxer Muhammad Ali, and musicians Linda Ronstadt and Neil Diamond.
Researchers used healthcare data from 2012 in North America to investigate the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease. The data comprised cohorts of 6.7 million persons aged 45 and over and 9.3 million adults aged 65 and over, totaling a total of 13.7 million person-years.
The researchers discovered that, in contrast to earlier estimates of 40,000–60,000, 60,000–95,000 persons in North America were diagnosed with PD in 2012. Males were invariably more likely than females to have PD, and advanced age was substantially associated with an increased risk of the illness.
The results also showed that PD was more prevalent in Florida, central Pennsylvania, southeastern Texas, southern California, and Texas. The western Midwest, the far Northwest, and the Mountain West had lower incidence rates.
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People With Parkinson’s Increases Than Those With Alzheimer’s
Dementia rates have been steadily falling over the past 25 years, with each decade seeing a drop of 13%. Matt Farrer, Ph.D., Lauren and Lee Fixel Chair and Professor of Neurology at the
The University of Florida, which was not involved in the study, questioned why Parkinson’s would be increasing while Alzheimer’s and other kinds of dementia seem to be decreasing.
Changes in lifestyle and education Mediterranean diet and exercise and more widespread use of blood pressure, cholesterol, and anti-inflammatory medications in elderly populations can be attributed to the decline in dementia incidence, after accounting for increases in life expectancy and population size.
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