RECENT research highlights a significant link between anxiety and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) in older adults. PD, the second most prevalent neurodegenerative condition, is projected to affect 14.2 million people globally by 2040, largely due to increased life expectancy. PD patients experience a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms, including constipation, depression, and olfactory issues, often years before motor symptoms emerge. Anxiety, with a 12-month prevalence of around 12% in older adults, often starts earlier in life but its onset in later years has been associated with subjective memory complaints and cognitive decline. While anxiety is known to be prevalent in the prodromal phase of PD and previous studies indicated an increased likelihood of developing PD in patients with anxiety or anxiolytic prescriptions, the prospective risk of PD in older adults with new-onset anxiety remains unclear. This study explores the risk of PD in individuals aged 50 and above with new-onset anxiety and identifies prodromal features that could aid in early recognition of the disease.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study utilising UK primary care data from 2008 to 2018, involving patients aged 50 and above with new-onset anxiety. The analysis included 174,776 adults without neurological conditions, adjusting for age, sex, medications, and comorbidities.
The study found a two-fold increased risk of PD in individuals with anxiety compared to those without, after adjusting for various factors such as age, sex, social deprivation, lifestyle, severe mental illness, head trauma, and dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 2.1). Additionally, depression, hypotension, tremor, rigidity, balance impairment, constipation, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and cognitive impairment were identified as risk factors for developing PD in those with anxiety.
In conclusion, the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease is significantly higher in older adults with anxiety. The presence of specific clinical features in these individuals can help identify those in the prodromal phase of PD, facilitating earlier intervention and potentially better outcomes. This study underscores the importance of monitoring anxiety and associated symptoms in older adults as part of a comprehensive approach to PD risk assessment. Moreover, anxiety’s role as a prodromal feature of Parkinson’s disease is less researched than depression, necessitating further studies on its relation to other symptoms and incidence rates.
Reference:
Bazo-Alvarez JC et al. Risk of Parkinson’s disease in people aged≥ 50 years with new-onset anxiety: a retrospective cohort study in UK primary care. Br J Gen Pract. 2024;74(744);e482-8.
