People over the age of 50 who suffer from anxiety are twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study from University College London (UCL).

The discovery could lead to improved early diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s, the researchers said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 8.5 million people worldwide. It causes symptoms such as balance problems, involuntary movements, tremors, loss of smell, sleep problems, and cognitive decline, which tend to get worse over time.

It is also the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.

“Anxiety is known to be a characteristic of the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, but prior to our study, the risk of Parkinson’s in people over the age of 50 with new-onset anxiety was unknown,” said study co-lead author Juan Bazo Avarez.

The UCL team analysed primary care data from the UK between 2008 and 2018, focusing on 1,09,435 adults who developed anxiety after the age of 50.

They compared this group to 8,78,256 people who were free of anxiety. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, socio-economic background, lifestyle, mental illness, head injury and dementia, they found that people with anxiety were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s.

Other symptoms associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s in people with anxiety include depression, low blood pressure, tremors, stiffness, balance problems, constipation, sleep disturbances, and fatigue.

“Understanding how anxiety and these other symptoms are associated with a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease may help us detect the condition earlier and provide necessary treatment,” Avarez said.

Co-lead author and Professor Annette Schrag from UCL’s Queen Square Institute of Neurology, stressed that recognising these links could aid early diagnosis and treatment.

“Anxiety has not been researched as much as other early indicators of Parkinson’s disease,” he said. “Further research should explore how early anxiety relates to other symptoms and progression in the early stages of Parkinson’s, potentially leading to better early treatments.”