Lifestyle Changes, Positive Outlook Can Aid Parkinson’s Fight: Expert

As Parkinson’s diagnoses rise, an expert says how someone receives a Parkinson’s diagnosis can either positively or negatively impact disease progression.

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A Parkinson’s diagnosis once meant inevitable decline, but that reality has shifted. Although rates have reached epidemic proportions in the United States, treatment options—which include lifestyle tweaks—have improved.

Now, there’s evidence that an optimistic mindset can positively influence the course of this progressive neurodegenerative disease. Conveying this hopeful message at the time of diagnosis is vital, according to experts.

New Report Aims to Improve Communication of Parkinson’s Diagnoses

In the United States, Parkinson’s disease diagnoses have nearly doubled to 90,000 annually since 2012, according to a 2022 Parkinson’s Foundation study. About 1 million Americans currently have Parkinson’s, and the number is estimated to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. The reasons for the increase remain unknown.