Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease
Summary
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Globally, its prevalence rises steeply with age, affecting roughly 1 % of people over 60 and presenting a growing public-health burden as populations age. Incidence varies by region, with higher rates in Europe and North America than in Asia and Africa, reflecting genetic predispositions, environmental exposures and disparities in healthcare access. Pathogenetically, misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired protein clearance and chronic neuroinflammation converge to drive nigral cell death. Intrinsic factors—such as oxidative stress and impaired autophagy—and extrinsic influences—including pesticide exposure and lifestyle factors—interact in a multifactorial cascade. Non-motor features, including autonomic dysfunction and cognitive impairment, often precede motor signs by years, underscoring the need for early biomarkers. Modern research emphasises the interplay between genetic mutations (for example in PINK1, Parkin and LRRK2), glial responses and systemic inflammation in shaping disease onset and progression. A unified epidemiological and mechanistic framework is essential to guide prevention strategies and identify targets for neuroprotective therapies.
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Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology and pathogenesis of parkinson's disease across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Incidence: Number of new cases of a disease in a specified population over a given period.
Prevalence: Proportion of individuals in a population who have a disease at a particular time.
Dopaminergic neuron: Nerve cell that produces and releases the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Substantia nigra pars compacta: Midbrain region where dopaminergic neurons degenerate in Parkinson’s disease.
α-Synuclein: Protein that aggregates into pathological inclusions in Parkinson’s disease.
Autophagy: Cellular mechanism for degrading and recycling damaged proteins or organelles.
Astroglia: Star-shaped glial cells that support neuronal metabolism and maintain homeostasis.
Microglia: Resident immune cells of the central nervous system that mediate inflammatory responses.
Inflamm-aging: Chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with ageing that may exacerbate neurodegeneration.
References
- Aging and MPTP Sensitivity Depend on Molecular and Ultrastructural Signatures of Astroglia and Microglia in Mice Substantia Nigra. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (2025).
- Hospitalization and mortality from Parkinson’s Disease in Brazil from 2008 to 2020. Saúde em Debate (2023).
- Descrição do perfil epidemiológico por doença de Parkinson entre 2021 e 2023. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences (2024).
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