Risk Factors of Parkinson Disease are varied, but mostly still unknown!!

When I was first diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson disease, I went to several doctors and specialists trying to see if there is any medical test that can prove or not my diagnosis, other than the clinical diagnosis that all neurologists I visited have done on me.

It's then that I realized that there are no blood tests or other screening tests that can detect Parkinson disease. Nonetheless, medical experts have demonstrated that it is caused by a combination of factors.

Parkinson disease is most likely caused by a combination of genetics and environmental or other unknown factors like:

Genes' mutations are a major risk factor for Young Onset Parkinson disease

· GENETICS:

Approximately 10 to 20% of Parkinson disease cases are linked to a genetic cause, according to scientists. There are two types:

1. Autosomal dominant, which means that one copy of a mutated gene from one parent, and

2. Autosomal recessive, which means you get a copy of a mutated gene from each of your parents.

Individuals who have a Parkinson parent or sibling have roughly twice the risk of developing the disease. Scientists claim that over the last 10 or 15 years, there's been an enormous amount of new information about genetics and new genes identified that have opened up a greater understanding of the disease.

Working in fields with pesticides increases the risk to develop Parkinson disease over time

· ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:

However, the vast majority of Parkinson disease cases are classified as unknown (“idiopathic” in medical terms). Scientists believe it's a combination of environmental exposure — to toxins or pesticides — and genetic makeup.

According to medical experts, environmental factors may contribute to the onset of Parkinson disease. Farming chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, working with heavy metals, detergents, and solvents have all been implicated and studied in search of a clearer link. However, it is unlikely that the majority of people who develop Parkinson disease are exposed to environmental hazards.

Age is a big factor to developing Parkinson disease

· AGE:

Age is the most important risk factor for Parkinson disease as we are getting older. The average onset age is 60 years old. However, around 10% of patients are diagnosed before reaching this age (which is called Young Onset Parkinson Disease in medical terms).

Men are 1.5 times more likely to develop Parkinson disease

· GENDER:

Science has proven that men are 1.5 times more likely than women to develop Parkinson disease. A possible reason is that oestrogen hormone protects women’s brains from neurological damage.

Repeated blows to the head like in boxing can be a cause to develop Parkinson disease

· HEAD INJURIES:

Repeated blows to the head (Like the case of the famous boxer Muhammad Ali) increase one's risk of developing Parkinson, but scientists are not 100% sure this directly causes the disease, as they can’t ascertain that there is a type, severity, or frequency of head trauma that increases its risk.

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