Are We Facing a Parkinson's Pandemic?

A study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease suggests a Parkinson's pandemic is on the horizon, with the number of people living with the disease doubling to more than 6.2 million between 1990 and 2015, reports Medical News Today . Experts forecast that 12 million people will have Parkinson's by 2040. Evidence that Parkinson's is approaching pandemic levels includes global concern of the disease in every region of the planet, and its growing prevalence in all scientifically-assessed regions. The geographic proliferation in a West to East trajectory is implied as demographics gradually shift. Parkinson's primarily affects people as they age, and steadily increasing human longevity means an unavoidable increase in the prevalence of Parkinson's. Among the factors the researchers cite as elevating the risk of Parkinson's is a reduction in smoking tobacco, which appears to lower the risk. Also thought to play a role is industrialization, with the authors noting, "numerous byproducts of the Industrial Revolution, including specific pesticides, solvents, and heavy metals, have been linked to Parkinson disease." The researchers urge an increase in activism to mitigate a potential pandemic, as well as financial support, in addition to the development of more effective medications.