Parkinson’s disease is a serious brain disorder that affects how people move. It can cause shaking, muscle stiffness, and trouble with balance and coordination. As the disease gets worse, it can become harder for someone to walk, talk, or do daily tasks.
A recent study by scientists from Queen Mary University of London has found something surprising. It shows that some common medications used to treat epilepsy might be linked to a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
These medicines, called antiepileptic drugs, are used to stop seizures by helping the brain control unusual electrical activity. The researchers wanted to know if people who take these drugs are more likely to get Parkinson’s disease.
To explore this, they studied medical records from 1,433 people who had Parkinson’s disease and compared them with records from 8,598 people who didn’t have the condition. They looked at which epilepsy drugs had been prescribed to these people.
The drugs they focused on included carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and sodium valproate—medications that are commonly used to treat seizures.
The study showed a clear link between taking these antiepileptic drugs and a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease. The more often someone was prescribed these drugs, or the more types they took, the greater the risk appeared to be.
In other words, people who had taken more of these medications, or had taken more than one type, were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease later on.
This is the first time a study has looked at several different epilepsy drugs and how they might be connected to Parkinson’s disease. While the research doesn’t prove that the drugs directly cause the disease, it does suggest there may be a connection that needs more study.
These findings are important for doctors and patients. Doctors might need to think more carefully when prescribing antiepileptic drugs, especially for people who may already be at risk for Parkinson’s disease. It may also lead scientists to look for safer medications or ways to lower the risk for patients who need these treatments.
Even though the results are concerning, they could help scientists learn more about how Parkinson’s disease develops. If future research can explain how these drugs might raise the risk, it might also lead to new treatments or methods to prevent the disease.
The study was led by Daniel Belete and published in JAMA Neurology. It is an early step in understanding how epilepsy treatments could affect long-term brain health. More research is needed, but this discovery could be the start of better ways to protect people from Parkinson’s disease in the future.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
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