Is Parkinson’s Caused By This Childhood Event?

Parkinson’s disease has a complex set of causes, such as genetics, diet, lack of exercise, and sometimes social isolation.

However, a new study published in the journal Neurology: Clinical Practice reports an interesting connection between Parkinson’s and something that may have happened to you as a child.

A huge body of research has found links between adverse childhood events (ACEs) and negative health outcomes such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and dementia.

Scientists had not yet investigated whether or how ACEs were linked with Parkinson’s disease. A team led by the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine decided to fill this gap in the research literature.

They studied whether there were associations between the severity of childhood trauma and specific symptoms, overall disease severity, or quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.

They used an Internet-based survey of 712 Parkinson’s patients to ask them about childhood trauma, the symptoms and severity of their disease, and their quality of life.

These were their findings.

1. Those who reported the least childhood trauma enjoyed the highest current quality of life and reported the lowest burden of both motor and nonmotor Parkinson’s symptoms compared with those with higher levels of childhood trauma.

2. An increase in ACE was associated with an increase in both nonmotor and motor Parkinson’s symptoms.

3. Forty-five percent of Parkinson’s symptoms were more severe for those with an ACE score of four than for those with an ACE score of zero.

4. The worst effects of ACEs were on symptoms such as apathy, muscle pain, daytime sleepiness, restless leg syndrome, depression, fatigue, comprehension, and anxiety.

The scientists did not explain why ACE is related to Parkinson’s. It is possible that childhood trauma causes brain damage that later develops into Parkinson’s disease. It’s also possible that it proceeds more indirectly, through something like stress, for example.

They also remind us that the effect of adverse childhood events on Parkinson’s was not as strong as that of a lack of exercise, social isolation, and unhealthy dieting, meaning that your childhood trauma might not matter if you have a very healthy lifestyle today.

The most important thing is that Parkinson’s is caused by various lifestyle/life events and can therefore be healed by simple lifestyle changes. Thousands of readers have done just that, as I explain in detail here…