- The WHO affirms that there are at least 10 million people with Parkinson’s in the world, although by 2030 the figure could triple.
- In a study that included 2,750 women, researchers found that for every 48 women under the age of 43, one more woman had Parkinson’s compared to women of the same age who did not have their ovaries removed.
- The findings confirm a 2008 study that suggested that a lack of estrogen caused by removal of both ovaries in young women may be associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism.
Dementia is often associated with old age because the older you are, the more likely you are to develop any of its forms. On many occasions this happens but it is not a general rule. Among its various forms, Parkinson’s is one of the most common, but now the most important thing is that the removal of both ovaries has been identified as a new risk factor.
To understand the seriousness of the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that there are currently 10 million people with this form of dementia. Although the most worrying thing is that each year that passes the number increases. If this continues, it is expected that by 2030 it will triple.
A new risk facing women
Back to the central theme, the surgical removal of both ovaries is associated with increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism in women younger than 43 years, Mayo Clinic researchers report in JAMA Network Open.
The basis is an investigation based on data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project medical records. The study included 2,750 women who had undergone surgery to remove both ovariesa procedure called bilateral oophorectomy, and 2,749 who had not.
The reasons for surgery were a benign (non-cancerous) condition, such as endometriosis, cyst, or other reason, or cancer prevention. The researchers found that for every 48 women under the age of 43 at the time of surgery, one more woman had Parkinson’s compared to women of the same age who did not. the ovaries were removed.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by nerves. Tremors are common, but the disorder can also cause stiffness or slowing of movement. It is often accompanied by dementia, sleep disturbances, and bowel and bladder problems. Parkinsonism is a general term for slow movement along with stiffness, tremors, or loss of balance.
Parkinson’s is more common in women than in men
Parkinson’s disease occurs almost twice as frequently in men as in women in the general population, suggesting that sex or gender-related factors play a role. In women, the ovaries are the main source of estrogen. Surgical removal of a woman’s ovaries may be recommended for cancer, genetic mutations, and other conditions.
When a woman has her ovaries surgically removed before reaching menopause, that source of estrogen and other hormones is lost, so the removal causes sudden endocrine dysfunction.
The findings confirm a 2008 study that suggested that the lack of estrogen caused by removal of both ovaries in young women it may be associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism.
The results support current guidelines that not both ovaries should be removed to prevent ovarian cancer in women at medium risk, says Walter Rocca, a Mayo Clinic neurologist and epidemiologist and first author of the study.
For women who carry a high-risk gene variant for ovarian cancer, removal of the ovaries before menopause may be indicated, but women should receive estrogen therapy after surgery until age 50 or 51, the approximate age of menopause. spontaneous menopause.
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