Study finds two early signs of Parkinson’s disease go unnoticed

A study published in the scientific journal Gamma Neurology By a group of researchers from Queen Mary University of London, they discovered health problems that could be early signs of Parkinson’s disease.

According to the researchers, the hearing loss And epilepsy, factors that were not associated with a diagnosis until then, may be warning signs.

“It is important for primary care providers to be aware of these links and to understand how early Parkinson’s disease symptoms can present, so that patients can receive a diagnosis as early as possible and clinicians can act early to help manage the condition,” said the study’s lead author. Christina Simonet, MD, a neurologist and Ph.D. at Queen Mary University.

The discovery was made after analyzing the health histories of more than 1 million people who lived in east London between 1990 and 2018. The data included 1,055 people who developed Parkinson’s disease during the period analyzed.

According to the results of the research, hearing impairment indicates a 66% increase in the risk of patients developing the disease. The study authors believe this may be a result of early changes in brain function caused by the disease.

The association of Parkinson’s disease with epilepsy was more significant. Patients with epilepsy increased the chance of developing Parkinson’s disease at some point in their lives by 2.5 times.

Analysis of the data also showed that the most well-known signs of Parkinson’s disease, such as hand tremors and memory problems, can appear up to a decade before diagnosis.

Credit: Daisy Daisy/iStockThe study also found that hand tremors can appear up to 10 years before diagnosis

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease that affects a person’s movements and causes tremors, slow movement, muscle stiffness, imbalance, as well as changes in speech and writing.

Diagnosis is made based on the patient’s clinical history and neurological examination, however, there is no specific test to detect the disease.

Although there is no cure for this disease, it can and should be treated, not only combating symptoms, but also slowing their progression.

Worldwide, Parkinson’s disease affects about 10 million people, with an average of 200,000 in Brazil.