A condition which affects thousands of people can be spotted decades ahead of diagnosis. Parkinson’s disease is a condition that causes problems in the brain which gets worse over time.
Latest figures, from 2023, show there are around 153,000 people living with it in the UK. But the quality of life can be impacted massively the longer it takes to diagnose the condition.
While many people know the main symptoms of tremors and shaking, stiffness and muscle cramps there are many others to watch for – with some appearing years ahead of a diagnosis.
Researchers recently discovered a link between a Parkinson’s disease gene and speech changes. They found the voice of people who went on to get Parkinson’s often changed to become soft and monotonous ahead of many other symptoms. These changes were often much earlier – even decades – before any of the motor (or movement) related issues.
The study, by neuroscientists in the lab of Julie E Miller, assistant professor at the University of Arizona, examined zebra finch birds as they have brains which organise their speech and language in a similar way to humans. They discovered a Parkinson’s gene affected their song production.
The birds with the gene sang less after two months, and they sang less at the start of a song session three months after receiving the gene. Their vocalisations were also softer and shorter – findings similar to what is seen in Parkinson’s disease.
Other researchers, in a separate study, developed an automated screening method which was able to recognise which patients had Parkinson’s and those who were healthy just by their voices in up to 90% of cases. However, this is not the only other sign aside from the three main motor problems.
According to the charity Parkinson’s UK there are many others that do not affect movement. They include issues like mental health, memory problems and pain.
Other Parkinson’s symptoms
Non-motor symptoms
Parkinson’s UK says the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s include:
Mental health issues
Parkinson’s UK says the mental health symptoms of Parkinson’s include:
What is Parkinson’s
The NHS explains: “Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain.
Dopamine plays a vital role in regulating the movement of the body. A reduction in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Exactly what causes the loss of nerve cells is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible.
Who’s affected
Most people with Parkinson’s start to develop symptoms when they’re over 50, although some people with the condition first experience symptoms when they’re under 40.
Men are slightly more likely to get Parkinson’s disease than women.
Treating Parkinson’s disease
Although there’s currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, treatments are available to help reduce the main symptoms and maintain quality of life for as long as possible. These include:
- supportive treatments, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- medication
- in some cases, brain surgery
Outlook
As the condition progresses, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can get worse and it can become increasingly difficult to carry out everyday activities without help, says the NHS. Many people respond well to treatment and only experience mild to moderate disability, whereas the minority may not respond as well and can, in time, become more severely disabled.
Parkinson’s disease does not directly cause people to die, but the condition can place great strain on the body, and can make some people more vulnerable to serious and life-threatening infections. But with advances in treatment, most people with Parkinson’s disease now have a normal or near-normal life expectancy.