Advertisement

5 health risks linked to Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's is connected to lung problems, depression, and more.

Updated on December 1, 2022

An Image
1 / 6

Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating condition in its own right, doesn’t operate in a vacuum. Once it starts progressing, it puts you at risk for a number of other conditions.

Parkinson’s is a brain and movement disorder. When you have it, the cells of the brain producing the chemical dopamine—responsible for movement, among other things—degenerate, leading to less andShow More

An Image
2 / 6
Depression

At least half of people with Parkinson’s also have depression, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Depression is caused in part by an imbalance in neurochemicals. “And in Parkinson’s, the disease process is changing the neurochemistry of the brain,” says Dr. Robertson. Many of the medicationsShow More

An Image
3 / 6
Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the top cause of death for people with Parkinson’s. It’s a muscle movement issue. “It’s aspiration pneumonia, not the kind of pneumonia you get when someone coughs on you,” Robertson says. “The principal issue is that swallowing is impaired.”

Swallowing is a movement, just like walking,Show More

person entering bathroom
4 / 6
Digestive trouble

Like the muscles responsible for swallowing, the muscles that help move food and waste through the digestive system can malfunction, which may cause constipation, nausea, and even malnutrition. “GI issues are incredibly common,” says Robertson. In fact, they’re the most common non-motor symptom ofShow More

man sleeping on couch with dog
5 / 6
Sleep disturbances

Sleep problems like insomnia, daytime drowsiness, and cycle disturbances often affect people with Parkinson’s. “There’s something inherent in Parkinson’s that makes people sleepy,” Robinson says. “We don’t really understand it yet. And a lot of medications that are used to treat motor symptoms haveShow More

nurse helping senior woman on stairs
6 / 6
Dementia

Up to 75 percent of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia after about 10 years—and the brain changes are also common to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Symptoms of Parkinson’s-related dementia can include impulsivity, hallucinations, memory and concentration problems,Show More

Slideshow sources open slideshow sources

Parkinson’s Foundation. Depression. Accessed November 29, 2022.
Parkinson’s UK. Drug Treatments for Parkinson’s. Last updated July 2019.
Chang YP, Yang CJ, et al. Risk factors for pneumonia among patients with Parkinson's disease: a Taiwan nationwide population-based study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016 Apr 27;12:1037-46. 
Won JH, Byun SJ, et al. Risk and mortality of aspiration pneumonia in Parkinson’s disease: a nationwide database study. Scientific Reports. 2021. 11, Article number: 6597.
Merck Manual Consumer Version. Aspiration Pneumonia and Chemical Pneumonitis. Medically reviewed September 2022.
Poirier AA, Aube B, et al. Nonmotor Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease: Gastrointestinal Ramprasad C, Douglas JY, Moshiree B. Parkinson's Disease and Current Treatments for Its Gastrointestinal Neurogastromotility Effects. Curr Treat Options Gastroenterol. 2018 Dec;16(4):489-510.
Zheng LF, Liu S, et al. Dopamine and Gastrointestinal Motility. Dopamine in the Gut. 2021. Springer, Singapore.
Parkinson’s UK. Sleep and Night-time Problems in Parkinson’s. Last updated March 2019.
Sleep Foundation. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. Updated November 1, 2022.
Alzheimer’s Association. Parkinson's Disease Dementia. Accessed November 29, 2022.

More On

What Is the Typical Progression of Parkinson's Disease?

video

What Is the Typical Progression of Parkinson's Disease?
There are two types of Parkinson's disease: one type develops a series of symptoms based on tremors; the other is more prone to dementia, explains Hea...
Parkinson's disease psychosis: What are neuroleptic drugs?

article

Parkinson's disease psychosis: What are neuroleptic drugs?
Also known as antipsychotic medications, neuroleptics may be used to treat symptoms of PD psychosis.
7 things a neurosurgeon wants you to know about Parkinson's treatment

slideshow

7 things a neurosurgeon wants you to know about Parkinson's treatment
You can't cure PD, but you can get a handle on its symptoms.
How Parkinson's disease affects the brain

video

How Parkinson's disease affects the brain
Biomedical engineer Sri Sarma, PhD, explains how brain waves and rhythms influence movement in people with Parkinson’s disease. Watch this video to le...
When should medication doses change for Parkinson's disease patients?

video

When should medication doses change for Parkinson's disease patients?
Some believe more potent drugs used for treatment should not be used for a younger Parkinson's patient, explains Melissa Houser, MD, a neurologist at ...