Has incidence of Parkinson's disease increased over past 30 years?
A study of patients in a Minnesota county suggests the incidence (New cases) of parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease may have increased over the past 30 years but that trend may not be genuine and must be confirmed in other populations. Ref. Source 6b.
Predicting cognitive deficits in people with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is commonly thought of as a movement disorder, but after years of living with the disease, approximately 25 percent of patients also experience deficits in cognition that impair function. A newly developed research tool may help predict a patient's risk for developing dementia and could enable clinical trials aimed at finding treatments to prevent the cognitive effects of the disease. Source 7b.
Sniffing out Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive brain cell death and extensive loss of motor function. Despite much research being conducted on this disease, there are no definitive diagnostic tests currently available. Now, researchers report the identification of compounds that make up the signature odor of the disease with the help an individual who can detect Parkinson's through smell. Source 4a.