Researchers at UCL have found that individuals over 50 with anxiety are at least twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared to those without fear, according to a study published in the British Journal of General Practice. The study focused on the correlation between new-onset anxiety in people aged over 50 and subsequent Parkinson’s diagnosis.
The research team analysed data from UK primary care records spanning from 2008 to 2018, reviewing 109,435 patients who were diagnosed with anxiety after turning 50. These patients were compared with 878,256 control participants who did not have anxiety. The analysis followed the onset of Parkinson ’s-related symptoms, including sleep disturbances, depression, tremors, and balance issues, from the initial anxiety diagnosis up to a year before a formal Parkinson’s diagnosis. This approach helped the researchers assess the long-term risk of Parkinson’s in the anxiety group versus the controls and identify associated risk factors.
Adjustments were made in the study for various factors such as age, gender, social deprivation, lifestyle choices, severe mental illness, head trauma, and dementia, which could influence the development of Parkinson’s in anxious individuals. Findings revealed that anxiety doubled the risk of developing Parkinson’s. Moreover, symptoms such as depression, sleep issues, fatigue, cognitive decline, low blood pressure, tremors, rigidity, balance problems, and constipation were identified as risk factors for Parkinson’s among those with anxiety.
Dr Juan Bazo Alvarez, co-lead author from UCL’s Epidemiology & Health department, highlighted the significance of the findings, noting that Parkinson’s is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease globally. He pointed out that while anxiety is often observed in early Parkinson’s, the prospective risk associated with new-onset anxiety in those over 50 was not previously understood. The study aims to facilitate earlier detection and treatment of Parkinson’s by elucidating the connection between anxiety and the development of the disease after the age of 50.
Parkinson’s disease is increasingly widespread, currently affecting nearly 10 million people worldwide and is characterised by the degeneration of nerve cells in the substantia nigra, a part of the brain that regulates movement. This degeneration leads to diminished dopamine production due to the accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein. Recent advancements include the development of a simple blood test by UCL and University Medical Centre Goettingen, Germany, which, using artificial intelligence, can predict the onset of Parkinson’s up to seven years before symptoms emerge.
Professor Anette Schrag, co-lead author and a researcher at UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, emphasised the need for further research on anxiety as an early indicator of Parkinson’s. Understanding how early anxiety relates to other symptoms and the progression of Parkinson’s could enhance treatment in its initial stages.
The research team advocates for additional studies to determine why older individuals with newly developed anxiety are more susceptible to Parkinson’s and how the severity of their anxiety might influence their prognosis.
More information: Juan Carlos Bazo-Alvarez et al, Risk of Parkinson’s disease in people aged ≥50 years with new-onset anxiety: a retrospective cohort study in UK primary care, British Journal of General Practice. DOI: 10.3399/BJGP.2023.0423
Journal information: British Journal of General Practice Provided by University College London
