Number of people with Parkinson's in Netherlands increased 30% in 10 years

Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing brain disease in the world. In the Netherlands, the number of people with Parkinson’s disease has increased by 30 percent over the past decade, according to a recent study by several Dutch hospitals. In the province of Noord-Holland alone, over 6,000 people have the disease.

The aging population accounts for a big part of the increase in Parkinson’s cases, Rob de Bie, a neurologist at Amsterdam UMC, told NH Nieuws. But people also have a higher risk of Parkinson’s due to exposure to pesticides, harmful substances, if they have Crohn’s disease, or if they’ve had a melanoma. Certain viruses and bacteria, including the coronavirus, can also accelerate Parkinson’s.

“We know that many factors play a role in Parkinson’s, but we still don’t understand why the disease develops,” De Bie said.

According to De Bie, Parkinson’s is caused by a lack of dopamine, which decreases due to the loss of nerve cells in the brain. Physically, this causes the well-known Parkinson’s symptoms of trembling hands and muscles, stiffness, and slowness.

While it’s those physical symptoms that doctors use to diagnose Parkinson’s, the disease also comes with symptoms like memory loss, difficulty urinating, constipation, sleep problems, and mood swings. “Some of these complaints can already arise before you meet the criteria for a diagnosis. They can occur years in advance.”

Parkinson’s is progressive, incurable, and can develop at any age. “It is important that people know more about Parkinson’s,” Wilma van de Berg, another neuroscientist at Amsterdam UMC, told the broadcaster. While there are no treatments available yet, the neuroscientists are hopeful for the future, and early diagnosis could become important.

“There are over 100 studies on new medications underway worldwide,” Van de Berg said. “Several of them are in their final stages, which means they’re promising. I’m very hopeful for breakthroughs and hope things will change between now and ten years in the future.”