State Registries For Parkinsons Disease
For a Parkinsons disease registry to be established in a particular state, the state legislature needs to pass a law to create the registry. Passing a law, however, does not mean that the state legislature also agrees to fund the registry. Funding may need to come from sources outside of the government.
It is interesting to note that the legislative process in the states is surprisingly quick. In a typical state legislature, discussion of all new bills happens over a three-month period, typically over the winter. About 5,000 bills are discussed, so the pace is very rapid. If the bill gets passed, and a registry is approved, then it typically goes into effect in the summer or fall. If it does not get passed, then the bill needs to be reintroduced the following year for a fresh discussion.
Us Parkinson’s Disease Incidence Far Higher Than Earlier Estimates Study Shows
Earlier, much smaller U.S. studies conducted in the mid-1980’s had suggested roughly 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year. The number in 2020 was likely closer to 86,000 and will approach 90,000 this year, James Beck, chief scientific officer for the Parkinson’s Foundation, said in an interview.
Parkinson’s – the second-most deadly neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease – is disabling and incurable. The estimated economic cost is $52 billion annually in the United States alone, according to a report of the study published in npj Parkinson’s Disease.
The researchers hope documenting the higher numbers will help the Parkinson’s Foundation and other advocacy groups such as the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research obtain increased funding for research and access to care.
To update the estimated number of people being diagnosed with the disease, Beck’s team analyzed data from large health insurance databases and long-term health studies on more than 15 million adults across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, in 2012. That is the most recent year for which the necessary data was consistent among all the databases, Beck said.
Using computer models, the researchers adjusted the findings to reflect more recent U.S. populations.
“These updated estimates of incidence are necessary for understanding disease risk, planning healthcare delivery, and addressing care disparities,” Beck said.
Studies Of Prevalence And Incidence
In a study conducted in Washington Heights in northern Manhattan, information was obtained from a community registry of PD diagnosis originating from multiple sources including clinical settings, health agencies, and senior centers . Information was collected over a four-year period in order to determine prevalence and incidence. All patients who were identified through these sources were contacted and underwent a physical examination to confirm the diagnosis. These investigators reported a lower prevalence in African Americans compared to whites. But, the incidence rates were highest in African American men. The combination of high incidence with low prevalence could have indicated shorter survival times in African Americans diagnosed with PD. However, incidence in this study was calculated with census data, which may underestimate minority populations, so the number may have been inflated . Group differences in co-morbidities between groups were also reviewed in this study, but they did appear to be related to differences in PD prevalence.
Table 3
Also Check: What Color Represents Parkinson’s Disease
What Are The Early Warning Signs Of Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinsons warning signs can be motor symptoms like slow movements, tremors or stiffness. However, they can also be non-motor symptoms. Many of the possible non-motor symptoms can appear years or even decades ahead of motor symptoms. However, non-motor symptoms can also be vague, making it difficult to connect them to Parkinson’s disease.
Non-motor symptoms that might be early warning signs include:
Projected Estimates Of Parkinsons Disease With Aging Population
As the life expectancy has increased worldwide, it is expected that the burden of chronic diseases, like PD, will continue to grow. It is estimated that the number of people with PD in 2005 totaled between 4.1 million and 4.6 million and that number will more than double by 2030 to between 8.7 million and 9.3 million.7
Dont Miss: Parkinsons Life Center Of Southern New Jersey
Recommended Reading: What Is The Difference Between Parkinson’s And Lewy Body Dementia
How Is Parkinsons Diagnosed
Doctors use your medical history and physical examination to diagnose Parkinsons disease . No blood test, brain scan or other test can be used to make a definitive diagnosis of PD.
Researchers believe that in most people, Parkinsons is caused by a combination ofenvironmental and geneticfactors. Certain environmental exposures, such as pesticides and head injury, are associated with an increased risk of PD. Still, most people have no clear exposure that doctors can point to as a straightforward cause. The same goes for genetics. Certain genetic mutations are linked to an increased risk of PD. But in the vast majority of people, Parkinsons is not directly related to a single genetic mutation. Learning more about the genetics of Parkinsons is one of our best chances to understand more about the disease and discover how to slow or stop its progression.
Aging is the greatest risk factor for Parkinsons, and the average age at diagnosis is 60. Still, some people get PD at 40 or younger.
Men are diagnosed with Parkinsons at a higher rate than women and whites more than other races. Researchers are studying these disparities to understand more about the disease and health care access and to improve inclusivity across care and research.
Aging is the greatest risk factor for Parkinsons, and the average age at diagnosis is 60. Still, some people get PD at 40 or younger.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has made finding a test for Parkinsons disease one of our top priorities.
Symptoms Of Parkinsons Disease
These common symptoms of Parkinsons disease often begin gradually and progress over time:
- Shaking or tremor
- Slowing of body movements
As the disease continues to progress, additional symptoms can occur such as slurred or soft speech, trouble chewing and/or swallowing, memory loss, constipation, trouble sleeping, loss of bladder control, anxiety, depression, inability to regulate body temperature, sexual dysfunction, decreased ability to smell, restless legs and muscle cramps.
Don’t Miss: Boxing For Parkinson’s Video
Bob Hoskins: Retirement With Parkinson’s
A British actor best known for his award-winning turn in the 1982 film The Long Good Friday and for his voiceover in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Bob Hoskins announced that having Parkinson’s disease forced him into retirement in 2012. He was quite private about the details of his diagnosis, but in a 2012 interview with Saga Magazine, he said, “I’m trying to retire. I’m not doing very well at it, though.” When he did retire, he announced that he would be focusing on living a healthier lifestyle after leaving the acting profession.
Hoskins died in April 2014 at age 71.
To Have The Best Chance Of Being A Useful And Successful Registry:
- The law establishing the registry should require health care providers who see a patient with PD, to report that case to the registry, as opposed to making submission to the registry voluntary. California law, for example, requires healthcare providers diagnosing or providing treatment to PD patients to report each case of PD to the California Department of Public Health.
- The registry entries should be populated automatically from the patients electronic medical record, as opposed to relying on health care providers to submit a separate entry to the registry. This reduces the burden on health care providers and makes them more amenable to support the registry.
You May Like: Does Parkinson’s Affect Vision
How Are Cognitive Problems Treated
Much remains to be learned about the basic biology that underlies cognitive changes in PD. Researchers work towards the development of diagnostic tests to identify people who seem to be at greatest risk for cognitive changes and to differentiate cognitive problems in people with PD from those that occur in another disorder related but different known as dementia with Lewy bodies.A combination of medications and behavioral strategies is usually the best treatment for cognitive problems in PD.
Causes Of Parkinson’s Disease
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.
Don’t Miss: Who Can Diagnose Parkinson’s
What You Can Expect
Parkinson does follow a broad pattern. While it moves at different paces for different people, changes tend to come on slowly. Symptoms usually get worse over time, and new ones probably will pop up along the way.
Parkinsonâs doesnât always affect how long you live. But it can change your quality of life in a major way. After about 10 years, most people will have at least one major issue, like dementia or a physical disability.
Michael J Fox: Parkinson’s Champion For A Cure
Michael J. Fox is among the most well-known people living with Parkinson’s disease. Many remember him as the fresh-faced young star of the 1980s TV comedy hit Family Ties and the popular Back to the Future movies. Though most people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed between ages 40 and 60, Fox was diagnosed at age 30 but his diagnosis didnt slow him down.
He shared his young-onset Parkinson’s disease diagnosis with the world in 1998 and, two years later, founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Fox is committed to helping the foundation build Parkinson’s disease awareness and raise funds for research into prevention, treatment, and a cure. In addition to his advocacy work, hes still a working actor some more recent roles have included characters with Parkinson’s in the TV shows The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
“As long as I play a guy with Parkinson’s, I can do anything,” he joked in a 2013 AARP interview.
Also Check: Is Dementia Associated With Parkinson Disease
Muhammad Ali: A Fighter For Parkinson’s Awareness
The beloved boxer Muhammad Ali coped with shaking hands and mobility challenges long before he retired from the sport in 1981. In 1984, doctors diagnosed Ali with Parkinson’s disease. Ali, the philanthropist Jimmy Walker, and Abraham Lieberman, MD, established the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center for movement disorders, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. It serves as a resource center for Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, including Huntington’s disease and essential tremor, for both patients and their families.
Ali was long associated with the annual gala fundraising event for Barrow Neurological Institute, Celebrity Fight Night, where he was the featured guest. Awareness-building runs in the family: His daughter Rasheda Ali wrote a book for children about Parkinson’s disease, I’ll Hold Your Hand so You Won’t Fall: A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s Disease.
Muhammad Ali died in June 2016 at age 74.
What Is The Trend Over Time In The Prevalence And Incidence Of Parkinsonism In Canada
Between 20042005 and 20132014, the number of Canadians living with diagnosed parkinsonism increased from approximately 61,000 to 84,000, while the number of Canadians newly diagnosed increased from approximately 8,000 to 10,000. However, during the same period, there was no significant change in the age-standardized prevalence proportion, which remained at 0.4%, or the incidence rate, which went from 51.6 per 100,000 to 52.6 per 100,000. The sex differential also remained constant over time for both indicators .
Figure 3: Age-standardized prevalence and incidence of diagnosed parkinsonism, including Parkinsons disease, among Canadians aged 40 years and older, by sex, 20042005 to 20132014
| Indicator | |
|---|---|
| 67.8 | 40.3 |
Notes: Age-standardized estimates to the 2011 Canadian population. The 95% confidence interval shows an estimated range of values which is likely to include the true value 19 times out of 20. The 95% confidence intervals of the prevalence estimates are too small to be illustrated.Data source: Public Health Agency of Canada, using Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System data files contributed by provinces and territories, July 2017.
Read Also: Pump For Parkinsons Disease
Don’t Miss: Can You Cure Parkinson’s Disease
Ozzy Osbourne: Coming To Terms With His Diagnosis
Former Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne revealed the news of his Parkinsons disease diagnosis in an emotional interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America. Accompanied by his wife, Sharon, Osbourne confirmed that hed been diagnosed with Parkinsons in February 2019 following a series of health issues though his case is mild and, as Sharon emphasized, its not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination.
Im no good with secrets, the rock star confessed. I cannot walk around with it anymore cause its like Im running out of excuses.
The diagnosis coincided with a bad fall and subsequent surgery on his neck, as Osbourne began to experience numbness and chills in one arm and both legs. I dont know if thats the Parkinsons or what, he said. Thats the problem … its a weird feeling. Hes now taking Parkinsons medication along with nerve pills and has planned a trip to see a specialist in Switzerland in April 2020.
I feel better now Ive owned up to the fact that I have a case of Parkinsons, Osbourne said. And I hope hang around, because I need them.
Neil Diamond: Stepping Away From Touring Because Of Parkinsons
Singer Neil Diamond announced on January 22, 2018, that he was retiring from touring because of a recent Parkinsons diagnosis. The news came during his 50th anniversary tour, as Diamond announced he would have to cancel upcoming concert dates in Australia and New Zealand. In a statement on his official website, he said, It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years.
Diamond reassured fans that he would continue writing and recording music, but he would not perform in front of live audiences in the future. His hits over the years have included Girl, Youll Be a Woman Soon, Sweet Caroline, Cracklin Rosie, Song Sung Blue, and Red, Red Wine.
Diamond was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
You May Like: How Does Parkinson’s Happen
How Much Does Parkinson’s Cost America
Each family touched by Parkinson’s spends about $26,000 per year out of pocket to cope with the disease, Beck said, far more than is spent on heart disease and diabetes.
An earlier study from the Michael J. Fox Foundation and others found that Parkinson’s costs the U.S. $52 billion every year and will cost $80 billion annually by 2037.
The federal government now spends over $200 million a year to address Parkinson’s. But Okun said that an investment of $3 billion a year is what’s needed to find viable treatments, better understand the disease and hopefully learn to prevent it.
More research funding also helps attract more scientific talent to the field, Beck said. “If they see it’s going to be hard to do research in Parkinson’s because there’s not a lot of money there, they’re going to go into something else.”
Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com.
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.
The Facts About Parkinsons Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurogenerative disease that causes nerve cells in the area of the brain that controls movement to weaken and/or die. While healthy neurons produce a chemical called dopamine, which the brain needs a certain amount of in order to regulate movement, weakened neurons produce lower levels of dopamine. What causes these neurons to weaken is currently unknown.
Some patients with Parkinson’s disease also suffer from a decline in norepinephrine, a chemical that transmits signals across nerve endings and controls various functions, such as blood pressure and heart rate.
More than 10 million people worldwide are currently living with Parkinson’s disease and nearly one million will be living with the disease in the United States this year, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Recommended Reading: Patient Education On Parkinson’s Disease
Sidebar: Morris K Udall Centers Of Excellence For Parkinson’s Disease Research
The Morris K. Udall Parkinsons Disease Research Act of 1997 authorized the NIH to greatly accelerate and expand PD research efforts by launching the NINDS Udall Centers of Excellence, a network of research centers that provide a collaborative, interdisciplinary framework for PD research. Udall Center investigators, along with many other researchers funded by the NIH, have made substantial progress in understanding PD, including identifying disease-associated genes investigating the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to PD, developing and improving PD research models, and discovering and testing potential therapeutic targets for developing novel treatment strategies.
The Udall Centers continue to conduct critical basic, translational, and clinical research on PD including: 1) identifying and characterizing candidate and disease-associated genes, 2) examining neurobiological mechanisms underlying the disease, and 3) developing and testing potential therapies. As part of the program, Udall Center investigators work with local communities of patients and caregivers to identify the challenges of living with PD and to translate scientific discoveries into patient care. The Centers also train the next generation of physicians and scientists who will advance our knowledge of and treatments for PD. See the full list of Udall Centers.
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider Or When Should I Seek Care
You should see your healthcare provider as recommended, or if you notice changes in your symptoms or the effectiveness of your medication. Adjustments to medications and dosages can make a huge difference in how Parkinsons affects your life.
When should I go to ER?
Your healthcare provider can give you guidance and information on signs or symptoms that mean you should go to the hospital or seek medical care. In general, you should seek care if you fall, especially when you lose consciousness or might have an injury to your head, neck, chest, back or abdomen.
Recommended Reading: What Medications Are Used For Parkinsons Disease
Don’t Miss: Is Lewy Body Dementia The Same As Parkinson’s