The incidence of Parkinson’s disease has increased by 50% in just the past five years, especially in younger people under age 50, and researchers want to know why.

It’s a mysterious disease as it is: Scientists aren’t sure what causes it, and it can take years to develop. Even when doctors suspect it, they have to rely on patient stories and physical exams to diagnose it.

Generally speaking, the average age of patients at diagnosis was around 60 for many years. But now that number is trending downward, with many patients under age 50. Why that is, is anyone’s guess, doctors say. It could be environmental, such as exposure to pesticides, or it might just be more awareness of the disease.

Or, as health neurologist Dr. Anh-Thu Ngo Vu suggests, “It’s not likely to be one thing but likely to be more than one thing all put together.”

Source:

CBS News Philadelphia October 4, 2023