Michael D F Goldenberg1, Xuemei Huang2, Honglei Chen3, Lan Kong4, Teodor T Postolache5,6,7, John W Stiller5,8, Katherine A Ryan7, Mary Pavlovich9, Toni I Pollin9, Alan R Shuldiner9, Richard B Mailman1,10, Braxton D Mitchell9,11. 1. Department of Neurology, Penn State Health-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. 2. Department of Neurology, Penn State Health-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, xuemei@psu.edu. 3. Department of Epidemiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA. 4. Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. 5. Mood and Anxiety Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness, Research Education and Clinical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. 6. Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. 7. VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 8. St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Neurology Consultation Service, Washington, District of Columbia, USA. 9. Program for Personalized and Genomic Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 10. Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. 11. Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Previous research has suggested that the Amish may experience a relatively high prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and/or parkinsonian motor signs. METHODS: In a large sample from the Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, age ≥18 years, we assessed the prevalence of self-reported PD diagnosis. For those without self-reported PD diagnosis, we assessed the frequency of PD-related motor symptoms using a 9-item questionnaire that was designed by the PD Epidemiology Research Group. Lastly, we queried study participants for the presence of 2 nonmotor symptoms that have been commonly linked to PD: bowel movement frequency and daytime sleepiness. RESULTS: Among 2,025 subjects who answered the PD questionnaire, 430 were older than 60 years. Of 430 participants ≥60 years, 5 (1.2%) reported a PD diagnosis. Of those without a PD diagnosis, 10.5% reported ≥1 and 1.2% ≥ 4 motor symptoms for the 9-item PD screening questionnaire. Of the 3,789 subjects who answered the question about bowel movement frequency, 0.7% reported ≤3 bowel movements per week. Among 1,710 subjects who answered the question about daytime sleepiness, 8.1% of the participants reported "always" sleepy during the day. DISCUSSION: These data neither support a markedly higher PD prevalence in the older Lancaster Amish nor do they show dramatically higher motor and/or selected nonmotor symptoms than the general population. Future studies that employ more rigorous procedures for case identification and PD-specific preclinical symptoms/tests are needed to determine the potential differences and similarities among different Amish populations and between Amish and non-Amish populations.
INTRODUCTION: Previous research has suggested that the Amish may experience a relatively high prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and/or parkinsonian motor signs. METHODS: In a large sample from the Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, age ≥18 years, we assessed the prevalence of self-reported PD diagnosis. For those without self-reported PD diagnosis, we assessed the frequency of PD-related motor symptoms using a 9-item questionnaire that was designed by the PD Epidemiology Research Group. Lastly, we queried study participants for the presence of 2 nonmotor symptoms that have been commonly linked to PD: bowel movement frequency and daytime sleepiness. RESULTS: Among 2,025 subjects who answered the PD questionnaire, 430 were older than 60 years. Of 430 participants ≥60 years, 5 (1.2%) reported a PD diagnosis. Of those without a PD diagnosis, 10.5% reported ≥1 and 1.2% ≥ 4 motor symptoms for the 9-item PD screening questionnaire. Of the 3,789 subjects who answered the question about bowel movement frequency, 0.7% reported ≤3 bowel movements per week. Among 1,710 subjects who answered the question about daytime sleepiness, 8.1% of the participants reported "always" sleepy during the day. DISCUSSION: These data neither support a markedly higher PD prevalence in the older Lancaster Amish nor do they show dramatically higher motor and/or selected nonmotor symptoms than the general population. Future studies that employ more rigorous procedures for case identification and PD-specific preclinical symptoms/tests are needed to determine the potential differences and similarities among different Amish populations and between Amish and non-Amish populations.
Authors: Brad A Racette; Laura M Good; Abigail M Kissel; Susan R Criswell; Joel S Perlmutter Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2009-07-27 Impact factor: 3.282
Authors: Honglei Chen; Edward A Burton; G Webster Ross; Xuemei Huang; Rodolfo Savica; Robert D Abbott; Alberto Ascherio; John N Caviness; Xiang Gao; Kimberly A Gray; Jau-Shyong Hong; Freya Kamel; Danna Jennings; Annette Kirshner; Cindy Lawler; Rui Liu; Gary W Miller; Robert Nussbaum; Shyamal D Peddada; Amy Comstock Rick; Beate Ritz; Andrew D Siderowf; Caroline M Tanner; Alexander I Tröster; Jing Zhang Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2013-08-09 Impact factor: 9.031