Do head injuries cause Parkinson’s disease?

A Parkinson’s disease diagnosis can be scary. Whether it is you or a loved one, noticing a slip in skills and struggling with routine tasks is often frustrating, embarrassing and worrisome.

Like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Parkinson’s disease affects the brain and causes movement problems and health issues. It occurs when cells are destroyed in certain parts of the brain. It usually causes involuntary muscle movements, such as tremors and rigid muscles, and it is progressive, meaning it gets worse over time.

Additional telltale signs of Parkinson’s:

• Loss of balance
• Declined motor skills
• Changes in handwriting and walking
• Stooped posture
• Trouble sleeping

Men are more likely to develop Parkinson’s than women, and family history can double your chances of getting the disease. Other risk factors include exposure to environmental chemicals, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Is there a correlation between concussions and Parkinson’s?

Playing high-impact sports, like football, hockey and rugby, are linked to a higher rate of concussions. However, do repeated hits to the head lead to Parkinson’s?

“We don’t know for sure. There’s no evidence yet, but we suspect there could be a link between multiple head impacts and developing a neurodegenerative disease in the future,” says Dr. Kate Essad, the regional medical director of concussion and sports neurology at Aurora Health Care.

Several studies have showed that playing high school sports did not result in an increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s and ALS. However, more continues to be learned about how players’ brains are affected and if a higher risk of Parkinson’s is associated with these activities.

“What is of concern are sub-concussive impacts that don’t cause concussion symptoms but still could cause damage in the brain,” says Dr. Essad.

Living with Parkinson’s

There’s no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but medications can help control symptoms and physical therapy can help keep both the mind and body sharp.

In fact, Parkinson’s affects everybody differently. Many people are diagnosed in their 50s and 60s, but some patients, like actor Michael J. Fox, are diagnosed in their 30s and have productive lives.

Dr. Essad says that while Parkinson’s can be daunting, it is not a death sentence.

“Parkinson’s does cause disability in some people, but many live lives unaffected and it doesn’t necessarily mean one’s life is shorter. When it comes to the brain, science is just scratching the surface,” says Dr. Essad.

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