One of the My Parkinson's Info readers emailed me the following question:
"I would like to know if I could get Parkinson's. My mom has it and I just wanted to know if I could get it.
Carlene S.
Carlene S.
In researching this I found information published by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which is a government entity that seeks to understand human genetics and its role in health and disease.
According to the NHGRI:
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological condition that typically causes tremor and/or stiffness in movement. The condition affects about 1 to 2 percent of people over the age of 60 years and the chance of developing PD increases as we age. Most people affected with PD are not aware of any relatives with the condition but in a number of families, there is a family history. When three or more people are affected in a family, especially if they are diagnosed at an early age (under 50 years) we suspect that there may be a gene making this family more likely to develop the condition.
Additionally, the article indicates at that:
We believe that many other complicating factors such as additional genes and environmental factors determine who will get the condition, when they get it and how it affects them. In the families we have studied, some people who inherit the gene develop the condition and others live their entire lives without showing any symptoms.
You can see this and more information from the NHGRI by clicking here.
