Younger people with Parkinson's

While Parkinson's is often considered an older persons condition and the average age of diagnosis is early 60's many people younger than this are living with Parkinson's, in fact, approximately 10% of the population diagnosed with the condition are under the age of 40.

In 1817, Dr. James Parkinson, in his Essay on the Shaking Palsy[1], first described a puzzling set of symptoms that he found in some of his older patients. The condition he described, dominated by "a pronounced trembling and an increasing sense of weakness," became known as Parkinson's disease, named after the physician who first wrote about it in the medical literature. The disease is sometimes known as paralysis agitans, which translated from Latin means "shaking palsy."

It is, therefore, not surprising that even today the mention of Parkinson's disease for most people conjures up images of older adults. Among those under 60, it is not uncommon to hear reports of a long history of puzzling aches, stiffness, and clumsiness that may actually have been the early signs of Parkinson's disease.

Because Parkinson's can be often overlooked as a diagnosis in younger patients, it is thought that the number of cases occurring in individuals under 60 may actually be much higher than estimated. With the advent of new drugs that may have neuro-protective benefit and slow the progression of the disease, it is important that an diagnosis be made as soon as possible, particularly for  younger people.

What is young-onset Parkinson's?

When Parkinson's disease is seen in individuals under the age of 40, it is called "young-onset" or "early-onset" Parkinson's disease." In rare instances, Parkinson's-like symptoms can appear in children and teenagers. This form of the disorder, called "juvenile Parkinsonism," is viewed as a distinct disorder, which often is genetically determined. Juvenile Parkinsonism usually has a different course from typical later-life Parkinson's disease.

As is the case of older-onset Parkinson's disease, the speed and severity of the progression of young-onset Parkinson's disease can vary greatly among individuals. Although the neuropathology and most clinical symptoms are the same at whatever age Parkinson's disease develops, the psychological, social, and medical management implications are very different for people with young-onset Parkinson's.

Younger people with Parkinson's can face particular challenges, such as

• Ensuring that there is support for the whole family, including children and teenagers
• Getting help and information about work
• Concerns about money
   

UPBEAT

UPBEAT is a special interest group for people with early onset Parkinson's, their carers and whanau/family go to UPBEAT to find out more.

Overseas links

There are a number of websites and chat rooms from around the world specificly for those with early on-set Parkinson's. You may be interested in looking at some of those listed in our Useful Links section.