TEHRAN – The incidence rate of Parkinson’s disease in Iran is 40 percent higher than the global average, according to the vice president of Iran’s Parkinson’s Association.

Parkinson's is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movements, and trouble with balance.

Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease in the world. The treatments help reduce the movement symptoms, IRNA quoted Mohsen Mir-Mohammadi as saying. 

The official made the remarks on the occasion of World Parkinson’s Day which is observed annually on April 11. The Day serves as a global moment to raise awareness, foster resilience, and bring hope to individuals living with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s disease incidence is increasing in the country, and it is estimated that the number of people with Parkinson's in Iran has reached more than 250,000 cases now.

The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown but people with a family history of the disease have a higher risk. Stress, excessive use of agricultural pesticides, and parasites are the main contributing factors to Parkinson's. Many Parkinson’s disease symptoms are caused by a loss of neurons that produce a chemical messenger in the brain, called dopamine. Decreased dopamine leads to irregular brain activity which causes movement problems.

Referring to patients' problems, the official said people with Parkinson’s face many problems, mainly a lack of adequate access to quality medicine, and proper insurance coverage.

“The treatment costs including medication, speech therapy, and proper nutrition, reach more than 300 million rials (around 300 dollars) per month, which most people cannot afford.

The Association is planning to launch a specialized clinic for patients with movement disorder patients in Tehran, Mir-Mohammadi added. 

He invited ministries, government institutions, municipalities, and other organizations to cooperate with the foundation to identify individuals with Parkinson’s disease and help organize their condition.

Parkinson's disease results in high rates of disability and the need for care. Many people with the disease also develop dementia. The disease usually occurs in older people, but younger people can also be affected. Men are affected more often than women.

MT/MG