5 Things Everyone Should Know About Parkinson's Disease
4. No definite risk factors are defined
No definite risk factors are defined, which makes the disease even more difficult to diagnosis and treat. PD claims more men than women, and men over 60 are at a high risk. There is still very little definitive knowledge about what causes Parkinson’s, but medical researchers think Parkinson's starts from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
There are two types of genes researchers focus on when studying Parkinson’s disease. These are causal genes that trigger Parkinson’s regardless of other factors, and mutation in associated genes. Science does not fully believe that PD is inherited. Only 15 to 25 percent of people with Parkinson’s had a relative with the disease. Environment factors like exposure to radiation, pesticides and head injuries are a few of the possible causes studied by medical researchers. Mohammad Ali had none of the genetic factors that would cause him to acquire Parkinson’s, but repeated blows to the head was an environmental factor. Still, there are no clear links to Parkinson's and any environmental or genetic factors.
Research does suggest that Parkinson’s disease may be a factor of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. About 15 percent of those with Parkinson’s have a first-line relative with the disease, and some carry mutated genes.
