Parkinson’s more common among men, highly educated, and in North Netherlands
Men, people with higher education, and residents of the northern provinces of the Netherlands face a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, a study by Utrecht University and Radboudumc shows. The research analyzed national health data from 2017 to 2022 and is the first to map new Parkinson’s cases and their geographic distribution across the country.
The study found that Parkinson’s occurs more frequently in Friesland and Groningen than in southern provinces such as Zeeland. “The geographic distribution of Parkinson’s at the time of diagnosis does not clearly match possible risk factors, such as air pollution or types of agriculture,” researchers said. “This does not mean environmental factors do not play a role. Individual exposure over long periods, often decades, is likely important.”
Between 2017 and 2022, an average of 3,724 new Parkinson’s diagnoses were made annually, adjusted for population. The overall number of patients has risen to about 63,000, largely because people are living longer with the disease.
Men were more frequently affected than women, a pattern researchers attribute in part to occupational exposure to harmful substances and potential protective effects of female hormones. People with higher socioeconomic status also showed a higher risk. “Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, may play a role, because non-smokers have a higher risk of Parkinson’s,” the study noted.
Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder caused by the death of dopamine-producing brain cells. Symptoms include tremors, slowed movement, muscle stiffness, and non-motor effects such as sleep problems, cognitive decline, and mood disorders. No cure currently exists.
Further research is underway through the national OBO2 program, which tracks long-term exposure to pesticides and other environmental factors. The PD-PEST study, a collaboration between Radboudumc and IRAS, is the largest patient-control study on Parkinson’s conducted in the Netherlands.
