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ccording to one new study paper,
evidence is emerging that Parkinson's disease is becoming a pandemic. The
authors discuss their concerns and the challenges ahead.
Parkinson's is on the rise, but can
we slow its march?
Parkinson's disease is a
neurodegenerative condition.
Primarily
affecting the motor regions of the central nervous system,
symptoms tend to develop slowly.
Over
time, even simple movements become difficult; and, as the disease
progresses, dementia is common.
Historically,
Parkinson's was rare. In 1855, for instance, just 22 people living in the
United Kingdom died with Parkinson's disease.
Today,
in the United States, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that
about half a millionpeople are living with the disease.
Recently,
a group of experts from the field of movement disorders published an article in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. Titled "The emerging
evidence of the Parkinson's pandemic," the authors outline their growing
concerns and what might be done.
A pandemic?
Globally,
neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability. Of these,
Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing. In 1990–2015, the number of people living
with Parkinson's doubled to more than 6.2 million. By 2040, experts
predict that that number will reach 12 million.
The
term "pandemic" is normally associated with diseases that can spread
from person to person. Of course, this does not apply to Parkinson's. However,
according to the study authors, the condition's spread does share some of the
characteristics of a pandemic.
For
instance, it is a global concern that is present in every region of the planet.
It is also becoming more prevalent in all regions that scientists have
assessed. Additionally, pandemics tend to move geographically. In the case of
Parkinson's disease, it seems to be moving from West to East as demographics
slowly change.
Some
researchers also believe that although people cannot "catch"
noncommunicable conditions such as diabetes through
contact with pathogens, they may still be pandemics. They explain that these
conditions are still communicable via new types of vectors — namely, social,
political, and economic trends.
In
the case of diabetes, for instance, one author argues
that we are transmitting risk factors across the world. Such factors include
"ultraprocessed food and drink, alcohol, tobacco products, and wider
social and environmental changes that limit physical activity."
Increasing risk
Because
Parkinson's primarily affects people as they grow older, the steady increase in
humanity's average age means an inevitable increase in the prevalence of
Parkinson's. This slow lift in our average age is not the only factor playing
into the hands of a potential epidemic.
Some
studies show that, even when analysis accounts for increasing age, Parkinson's
disease still seems to be becoming more prevalent.
This means that the average older adult today has an
increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
The
study authors outline some of the factors that appear to be increasing the risk
of Parkinson's disease today.
Tobacco's surprising influence
Globally,
the number of people who smoke tobacco has dropped significantly over recent
decades. People roundly and rightly consider this to be a huge benefit to
public health.
However,
smoking tobacco appears to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease. Some studies
have shown that smoking can reduce risk by more than 40 percent.
Reducing
tobacco consumption may therefore be raising the overall prevalence of
Parkinson's disease.
The growth of industry
Also,
industrialization might be playing a part in the steady rise in Parkinson's risk.
As the authors write:
"Numerous byproducts of the
Industrial Revolution, including specific pesticides, solvents, and heavy
metals, have been linked to Parkinson disease."
For
instance, China — a country that has witnessed rapid industrial growth — has
had the swiftest increase in Parkinson's disease.
Scientists
are still debating the role that pesticides play in Parkinson's. However, one
in particular, paraquat,
is strongly linked to the condition and is now banned in 32 countries.
Despite
this, the study authors say that in the U.S., people are using it "in ever
greater quantities." The U.K. is 1 of 32 countries to have banned paraquat
usage. Regardless, they continue to manufacture it and sell it to countries
including the U.S., Taiwan, and South Africa.
"Parkinson['s] disease is increasing and may be
a creation of our times," write the authors. "As opposed to most
diseases whose burden decreases with improving socioeconomic level, the burden
of Parkinson['s] disease does the opposite."
Increasing
rates of Parkinson's disease are concerning for obvious reasons, but what can
we do?
Can we turn the tide?
The
study authors believe that the key to transforming this seemingly inevitable
rise in Parkinson's disease is activism.
Conditions
such as HIV and breast cancer have
benefited widely from this approach. For example, many focus on raising
awareness, amassing funds, improving treatments, and changing policy.
Stopping
the production and use of certain chemicals that may increase the risk of
Parkinson's is essential. As the authors write:
"We have the means to prevent
potentially millions from ever experiencing the debilitating effects of
Parkinson disease."
Also
crucial, as ever, is financial backing. More research is needed to understand
why the condition appears and how it progresses, and this type of scientific
investigation is never cheap.
In
particular, scientists need to develop better medications. Currently, the most
effective therapy is levodopa, which is 50 years old and not without its
issues, including both psychological and physical side effects.
While
this recent analysis is worrying, the authors leave the reader with some
positivity, concluding that "[t]he Parkinson pandemic is preventable, not
inevitable."
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