What causes Parkinsons and who gets the disease?
Research to date has not been able to identify the exact cause of this condition. There is evidence to suggest that some people may have a genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s, but there is no clear evidence to suggest that it is hereditary. Other risk factors that have been identified are head injury, direct occupational pesticide exposure and the age-related loss of brain cells that transmit nerve impulses. Despite popular belief, Parkinson’s is not found only in the elderly. As many as one out of five Parkinson’s cases are found in people under 50 years of age. Parkinson’s is one of the most common neurological disorders and affects one out of every 100 adults in Canada. Parkinson’s affects men and women equally and the disease crosses all ethnic lines.
