Women with Parkinson’s – World Parkinson’s Coalition (3/8/2022)

International Women’s Day Notes by John Kolaya

  • 40% of PwPs are women
  • Prevalence of dementia for men and women is between 20% and 40%
  • Women are less effected by dementia in PD than men (women are more effected by Alzheimer’s than men)
  • Dementia is preventable
  • There are 12 risk factors – diet, exercise, social isolation, alcohol use…
  • Hallucinations and orthostatic hypertension are early signs of dementia
  • Parkinson’s disease is “treatable” or “modifiable”
  • Networking with other women to discussing lifestyle is a key to improving quality of life. Find a “tribe”!
  • Exercise with others
  • Early diagnosis is key to improving lifestyle
  • Women’s Health Organization (WHO) seeks out a customized, holistic vision of brain health
  • Brain health needs women in research in order to move forward
  • Barriers – women are not being introduced to research
  • Symptoms are often worse in various stages of the menstrual cycle due to reduction of estrogen
  • A registry of pregnant women with PD is being established
  • To participate in clinical trials, women must take contraceptives
  • Clinical studies usually done in male rats (larger)
  • Inflammation in brain from PD is less in women than in males
  • Women’s Brain Project (2019) – not involved in the studies due to safety during pregnancy. Does not take women’s needs into Opportunities to cure/treat are lost by drug developers
  • PD occurs in under 40 age group 5% of the time
  • Not sure about taking levodopa when pregnant – so some use agonists, dopamine Amantadine (agonist) is not safe!
  • Women are challenged by caregiving more than males – Recognize this as an issue and provide counseling
  • Women more likely to have a paid caregiver or are placed into a nursing home sooner
  • Women with PD must make themselves the priority in the family, share responsibilities, redefine your role as a supermom
  • Delayed access to DBS surgery for women. Women have more dyskinesia than men so reduction in meds prevalent instead of Stress and depression are more prevalent in women but less controlled by DBS.