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Gender differences in Parkinson's disease

Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry · 2006 · Vol. 78(8) · pp. 819–824

Charlotte A. Haaxma(Radboud University Nijmegen)Bastiaan R. Bloem✉(Radboud University Medical Center)George F. Borm(Radboud University Nijmegen)Wim J.G. Oyen(Radboud University Medical Center)Klaus L. Leenders(University Medical Center Groningen)Silvia Eshuis(University Medical Center Groningen)Jan Booij(Academic Medical Center)Dean E. Dluzen(Northeast Ohio Medical University)M.W.I.M. Horstink(Radboud University Medical Center)

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Abstract

Our results suggest that, in women, the development of symptomatic PD may be delayed by higher physiological striatal dopamine levels, possibly due to the activity of oestrogens. This could explain the epidemiological observations of a lower incidence and higher age at onset in women. Women also presented more often with tremor which, in turn, is associated with milder motor deterioration and striatal degeneration. Taken together, these findings suggest a more benign phenotype in women with PD.

Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments Nuclear Receptors and Signaling Neurological disorders and treatmentsParkinson's diseaseDiseasePsychologyMedicineInternal medicine

MeSH terms

AdultAgedBrainFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedParkinson DiseasePhenotypeSeverity of Illness IndexSex FactorsTomography, Emission-Computed, Single-PhotonIncidenceAge of OnsetDisease Progression