Skip to main content

Even Mild Brain Injuries May Increase Your Chances of Getting Parkinson's, Study Says

Even relatively mild brain injuries may increase your risk of developing the neurodegenerative condition Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study.
The research, which was published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, found a strong connection between traumatic brain injuries such as concussions and a heightened risk of Parkinson’s, regardless of the severity of the injuries. The findings specifically pertain to veterans whose data had been recorded in Veterans Health Administration databases between 2002 and 2014.
Compared to those who had never suffered a TBI, the increase in Parkinson’s risk — while still relatively low overall — ranged from 56% for veterans who had sustained mild injuries, to 83% for those with moderate to severe TBIs, according to the study. (Those who did not lose consciousness at the time of their injury, the least serious form of TBI, had a non-significant 33% increase.) These trends held true even after the researchers accounted for other factors that could affect Parkinson’s development, including substance use, chronic illnesses and education level.
The study used a sample of 325,870 veterans, half of whom had suffered a TBI. Each individual with TBI was matched with a non-TBI individual of the same or similar age, to keep the comparison as accurate as possible. Whenever possible, the severity of an individual’s TBI was also specified.
None of the individuals had Parkinson’s at the study’s outset, and only a relatively small number — 1,462 people, less than 1% of the sample — were diagnosed with Parkinson’s during the study’s follow-up period, which lasted an average of 4.6 years. Still, of those who developed the neurodegenerative disorder, which over time impedes movement and bodily function, 65% had previously suffered a TBI.
Research has also demonstrated a strong link between head trauma and the neurodegenerative condition CTE, which often affects professional athletes. And while the new study specifically examined veterans, its findings likely hold true for athletes and the general population as well.
“Furthermore, because the majority of TBIs sustained by military veterans occur during civilian life either before or after military service,” the authors write, “the results of this study may additionally have important implications for civilian and athlete populations.”
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Real Winner of the Democratic Debate: President Obama   More Sanders Snarks as Democratic Debate Gets Heated Democratic Candidates Court Black Voters at Debate Clinton and Sanders Walk a Careful Line on Women at Debate There were only two Democrats on the debate stage in Milwaukee on Thursday night, but they should have brought a third podium for President Obama. Coming back from a landslide defeat in the New Hampshire primary, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton doggedly criticized Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders on areas where he’d split with Obama while duct-taping herself to the President’s legacy on issues as varied as foreign policy , health care and Wall Street . Sanders, for his part, did his best to hold his ground, justifying his criticism of the President and presenting himself as a change agent while pointing out Clinton’s own differences with Obama. Their heated exchanges over Obama’s legacy reflected how the President has b...
Post a Comment
Read more

The country’s problem is our problem- Buhari

Nigeria President Muhammad Buhari gave this reminder on Tuesday in Abuja while breaking his Ramadan fast with a delegation of Islamic clerics. Mr. President said that Nigerians do not have any other country to call theirs except Nigeria and should therefore work and pray for it to prosper.
Post a Comment
Read more

Oscar Pistorius Will Be Sentenced for Murder After Dismissal of his Appeal

A lawyer for Oscar Pistorius says South Africa’s highest court has dismissed the former track star’s appeal of his murder conviction. The ruling by the Constitutional Court on Thursday clears the way for a judge to sentence Pistorius for murder at a hearing scheduled for April 18. Defense lawyer Andrew Fawcett confirmed the Constitutional Court’s decision and said: “We’ll proceed to the sentencing.” Pistorius, who killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home in 2013, had appealed to the Constitutional Court, saying another court erred when it overturned a manslaughter conviction and declared the Olympic athlete guilty of murder. The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, though a judge can reduce that sentence for what the law describes as exceptional circumstances. Pistorius is currently under house arrest. [ Time ]
Post a Comment
Read more