Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease by age

The prevalence of PD increases with advancing age.¹ In a meta-analysis of worldwide prevalence data, PD was found to be >40 times more prevalent in populations aged ≥80 years than in those aged 40–49 years.¹ Generally, PD is rare in individuals <40 years old.³

Normally, the slow and progressive nature of PD means that patients tend to live with the disease for many years.⁴ Therefore, the prevalence of PD tends to be highest in the most elderly (i.e., ≥80 years of age).¹

In one analysis, for Asia as a whole – including South Asia, South-East Asia and the Middle East – the overall prevalence of PD was lower in those aged 70–79 years, than in Europe, North America, and Australia (646 per 100,000 versus 1,602 per 100,000, respectively).¹

References:
1.Pringsheim T, Jette N, Frolkis A, Steeves TDL. The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Mov Disord 2014; 29 (13): 1583–1590.

2.Prasad S, Rakesh K, Kamble N, et al. Early onset of Parkinson’s disease in India: complicating the conundrum. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2022; 105: 111–113.

3.Camerucci E, Stang CD, Hajeb M, et al. Early-onset Parkinsonism and early-onset Parkinson’s disease: a population-based study (2010–2015). J Parkinsons Dis 2021; 11 (3): 1197–1207.

4.Kulisevsky J, Luquin MR, Arbelo JM, et al. Advanced Parkinson’s disease: clinical characteristics and treatment (part I). Neurologia 2013; 28 (8): 503–521.