Women and Parkinson's Archives

Women and Parkinson's

Caitlin Nagy on navigating Parkinson’s disease and body confidence
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Women and Parkinson's

Are older women with Parkinson’s disease left out of discussions?
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Women and Parkinson's

Kathleen Reardon on diagnosis and being heard by doctors
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“It’s been a really interesting journey of self-acceptance and self-love”

Caitlin Nagy on navigating Parkinson’s disease and body confidence

“I am still a woman”

Are older women with Parkinson’s disease left out of discussions?

“Finding information about being a woman with Parkinson’s was challenging”

Kathleen Reardon on diagnosis and being heard by doctors

“It’s so important to be clear about how people can help you”

Ingrid Roesner on speaking up with Parkinson’s disease

International Women’s Day: “Everyone benefits from raising awareness”

Five powerful stories from Parkinson’s disease community

“It’s essential to create a workplace where chronic illness is not taboo”

Cathy Molohan on the “balancing act” of work and Parkinson’s disease

“We do ourselves an injustice by just suffering through it”

Richelle Flanagan on connecting with Parkinson’s disease community

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“Parkinson’s disease feels like an ally of sexism”

Teresa Borque on diagnosis, identity and learning to say ‘me first’

7 famous women with Parkinson’s

Can you name a well-known woman with Parkinson’s disease?

“Look at us – we are here”

To mark International Women’s Day, we share our campaign highlights

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“Helping women with Parkinson’s know they are not alone”

Francisca Ruiz González on making women with Parkinson’s visible

“Life isn’t easy”: how coronavirus is affecting women with Parkinson’s

Four women with Parkinson’s share their experience of lockdown

The women blazing the trail in Parkinson’s tech and innovation

Have you heard about these Parkinson’s technology inventions?

“Incompetence, racism and prejudice delayed my diagnosis”

Manon Day on being a young black woman with Parkinson’s

“Recognising gender difference is essential for Parkinson’s research”

The research gap, revealed by neurologist Marina Picillo

“We need to be having more conversations about menopause”

One woman’s story about the approach of menopause

Women and Parkinson’s: menstruation, medication and motherhood

Our podcast shines a light on how women experience the condition

Women and Parkinson’s: “Being pregnant was scary”

One woman’s poignant account of pregnancy and Parkinson’s

Women and Parkinson’s: “My medication only works three weeks out of four”

An honest account of menstruation, medication and symptoms

“We are not just variants of men”

Our new campaign centres the experiences of women with Parkinson’s

Could Parkinson’s disease originate in the gut?

A new body of research has highlighted a potential link between gut health and Parkinson’s, with several studies presented at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting in San Diego, US. One study focused on alpha-synuclein – a protein that can cause brain cells to die and contribute to the condition’s onset. As part of the study, the researchers created a mouse model of Parkinson’s by treating the mice with rotenone (an ingredient used in pesticides). This was found to increase clumps of alpha-synuclein in the gut, suggesting the protein may originate in the digestive system before moving to the brain. Commenting on the research presented at the event in a press release, assistant professor of neurosurgery Sonia Villapol said: “When it comes to neurological disorders, we cannot target only the brain. Everything that happens in the gut has an impact on the brain.”

Is dry eye disease common in people with Parkinson’s?

Dry eye disease can involve symptoms such as a lower blinking rate and typically occurs when the eyes are not effectively moistened by tears – leading to discomfort and possible vision loss. Now, a recent study from Japan has investigated the previously underexplored relationship between dry eye disease and Parkinson’s. As part of their research, the team analysed 13 studies published between 2004 and 2022, which involved more than 1,500 people with Parkinson’s. Five of the reports highlighted the prevalence of dry eye disease in people with the condition – with 61% experiencing symptoms. “Our findings emphasize the need for clinicians to be vigilant of the presence of dry eye disease when managing [people with Parkinson’s],” the researchers wrote. However, they noted that more research is needed – especially “future large-scale studies” – to help understand the relationship between dry eye disease and the condition.

Highlighting dental care needs among people with Parkinson’s disease

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, have published a new study looking into dental care among people with Parkinson’s. Using a national register to obtain data relating to dental care between 2015 and 2019, the team identified 6,874 people with Parkinson’s, whose data was then compared to a control group of 34,285 people without the condition. A key takeaway from the five-year study was that a larger portion of people with Parkinson’s were not regular users of the dental care system – 21%, compared to 16.9% in the control group. The findings published in the journal ‘Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology’ also revealed that people with Parkinson’s utilised more dental-related treatment services than those in the control group – such as fillings and extractions. The researchers concluded: “This knowledge can be used by clinicians and decision-makers to ensure the optimal dental care for persons with Parkinson’s.”

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“It’s been a really interesting journey of self-acceptance and self-love”

“I am still a woman”

“Finding information about being a woman with Parkinson’s was challenging”