Anxiety sufferers twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease… as Michael J Fox delivers Glastonbury smash performance

People diagnosed with an anxiety disorder later in life are twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, compared with over-50s who do not have the condition, a study has found.

The condition was thrust back into the spotlight last weekend during the electrifying performance of Hollywood legend Michael J Fox, who suffers from the disease, on stage at Britain’s Glastonbury festival.

The 63-year-old Back to The Future star joined Coldplay for a dazzling rendition of their hit song Fix You, proving that his condition doesn’t stop him from delivering heart-wrenching guitar riffs.

Now, an analysis of 100,000 British adults aged 50 and over has revealed a surprising risk factor for developing the disease: about a million Americans are affected.

The team tracked which people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a condition that causes debilitating shivers, among other symptoms, during the 10-year study.

They compared the number of diagnoses with that of a group of Parkinson’s patients who had never been diagnosed with a mental illness.

The team found that the risk of developing the condition within ten years of an anxiety diagnosis was twice as high for anxious participants.

Some experts said the results provided “compelling” evidence that anxiety over the age of 50 could be considered a possible early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.

However, some scientists say it is difficult to say whether anxiety is already a symptom of Parkinson’s, or if it is a symptom of Parkinson’s itself.

Parkinson’s disease is growing rapidly in the US. It is expected that 1.2 million people in the country will suffer from this condition by 2030.

The study authors suggested that anxiety could indicate a ‘brain-first’ type of the condition, when signs of the disease show up on brain scans before it starts to cause obvious symptoms.

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disorder in the world. Nearly 90,000 Americans are diagnosed each year. That is 50 percent more than the previous estimate of 60,000.

It is a debilitating condition that causes nerves in the center of the brain related to movement to die or degenerate.

Patients may initially experience a mild tremor in one hand or stiffness in one part. But in later stages of the disease, patients may have difficulty standing or walking or may suddenly freeze without warning.

There is no cure for the condition, but certain medications can slow the worsening of symptoms.

Men are twice as likely as women to be diagnosed with the condition, which usually strikes at age 60 or older. However, it can also strike people as young as 20 — Michael J Fox was diagnosed at age 29.

In the study, researchers from University College London (UCL) analyzed data from 2008 to 2018.

Patients with anxiety were mostly women, overweight, did not drink alcohol, and were between 50 and 54 years old at the start of the study.

Researchers adjusted for factors such as age, gender, mental illness and dementia in their equation, but found that those who had anxiety had a two times higher risk of the condition.

They were also more likely to experience other symptoms, such as depression, sleep disorders, fatigue, high blood pressure and balance problems.

Some experts said the results made a “compelling” argument for anxiety diagnoses over the age of 50 to be considered an early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Juan Bazo Avarez, epidemiologist at UCL and leader of the study, said: ‘Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. It is estimated that this disease will affect 14.2 million people by 2040.

‘Anxiety is known to be a hallmark of the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, but before our study the future risk of Parkinson’s in people over 50 years of age with early-onset anxiety attacks was unknown.’

He added: ‘By understanding that anxiety and the features mentioned are linked to a higher risk of developing the disease over the age of 50, we hope to be able to detect the condition earlier and help patients get the treatment they need.’

Dr. Daniel Truong, a neurologist in California who was not involved in the study, said Medical news today: ‘The study provides compelling evidence that anxiety is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease in people over 50.

‘The findings suggest that (new) anxiety may be a prodromal symptom, emphasizing the importance of early detection and intervention.’

Dr. Clifford Segil, a neurologist also in California, said he wouldn’t use fear to diagnose patients.

‘A lot of people worry about how the diagnosis will affect their life — so it can sometimes cause anxiety. A lot of people worry because they think Parkinson’s is a death sentence, but it’s not.

‘Fear can sometimes be a byproduct of the diagnosis, but it is not a precursor to it.’

The research was published in the British Journal of General Practice.