According to research published in the British Journal of General Practice, the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease will increase in people with anxiety after the age of 50.
In their study, researchers analyzed the health data of 109,435 people who became depressed after age 50. They compared this data with a control group of 878,526 people who did not suffer from depression.
Researchers obtained clinical data from UK primary care registries.
Here is what Eileen Bailey reported on the issue for Medical News Today:
The researchers evaluated the data for Parkinson’s features, such as sleep problems, depression, tremors, and balance impairment, from the time of the anxiety diagnosis until one year before the Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Details from the study on Parkinson’s and anxiety
The researchers reported that people who were diagnosed with anxiety after the age of 50 were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s as those without anxiety.
The scientists noted that the risk factors for Parkinson’s included:
- Depression
- Sleep disturbance
- Fatigue
- Cognitive impairment
- Hypotension
- Tremor
- Rigidity
- Balance impairment
- Constipation
The results were adjusted for age, gender, social deprivation, lifestyle factors, severe mental illness, head trauma, and dementia.
These conditions can affect the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s.
To read more on the link between alzheimer’s and anxiety, click HERE.