EARLY ONSET OF PARKINSON'S IN INDIA: IS IT ALARMING?

Parkinson’s disease - a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves, usually affects the elderly.

According to health experts, the symptoms of this condition start slowly and ultimately cause stiffness or slowing of movements.

However, there has been a significant rise in the number of patients with PD under 50 years of age.

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According to a 2022 study published in the journal Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, India has an increasing prevalence of Parkinson's disease, with the average age of onset almost a decade younger in comparison to other countries.

This data is worrying the doctors since India has a sizeable youth population. “Typically, PD affects individuals above 60, but cases in India show onset as early as the 40s or younger, posing diagnostic challenges and delaying treatment. This trend adversity affects the quality of life, and careers and adds burdens on families,” Dr. Jaideep Bansal, Director and HOD of Neurology, at Fortis Hospital, told Times Now.

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According to doctors, early-onset PD differs from late-onset conditions on numerous fronts, causing extreme issues and challenges to the patients. There are distinct patterns and types of motor and non-motor symptoms, rates of progression, approaches to disease management, and outcomes in this progressive disease.

It leads to problems in social life, ability to work, and significant caregiver burden and burnout.

How does Parkinson’s affect your body?

Doctors say Parkinson’s causes a specific area of your brain - the basal ganglia, to deteriorate, making you lose the abilities those areas once controlled. Researchers have also uncovered that the condition causes a major shift in your brain chemistry.

Under normal circumstances, your brain uses chemicals known as neurotransmitters to control how your brain cells communicate with each other. However, when you have Parkinson’s, you do not have enough dopamine, one of the most important neurotransmitters.

And so, the lack of dopamine causes the slowed movements and tremors symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

What causes Parkinson’s in youngsters?

Although there are several recognized risk factors for Parkinson’s like exposure to pesticides, for now, the only confirmed causes of Parkinson’s disease are genetic. Experts say when the condition is not genetic, it is classified as idiopathic – which means they do not know exactly why it happens.

However, according to Dr. Bansal, Parkinson’s in youngsters can be due to environmental factors, which include pollution.

“It may be multipotential including post-infection trauma, poor lifestyle, mental stress, and environmental factors including pollution. Genetic factors may play a role, necessitating research into unique genetic predispositions and environmental influences within the Indian population,” he said.

Signs and symptoms

The best-known symptoms of Parkinson's disease involve:

Loss of muscle control
Motor symptoms
Slowed movements
Tremors, even when the muscles are at rest
Rigidity or stiffness
Unstable posture or walking gait
Blinking less often than usual
Cramped or small handwriting
Drooling
Mask-like facial expression
Trouble swallowing
Unusually soft-speaking voice
Depression
Loss of sense of smell
Sleep issues like insomnia

Treatment

According to experts, for now, Parkinson’s is not curable, but there are multiple ways to manage its symptoms. The treatments can also vary from person to person, depending on their specific symptoms and how well certain treatments work. “Access to specialized care and support services is crucial.

Addressing this trend requires broader public health initiatives & awareness campaigns to facilitate early detection and intervention, thus mitigating the impact of early onset PD on affected individuals and their communities,” said Dr. Bansal.

Also, deep brain stimulation surgery – in which a device is implanted to deliver a mild electrical current to part of your brain is also done.