Psychotropic Medications Linked to an Increased Risk of Parkinson’s

A study published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology found that psychotropic medication use in women may be associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study was a retrospective cohort study using Women’s Health Initiative data.  

According to the National Institute of Aging, a subset of the NIH, “Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.” 

PD symptoms include tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement, and lack of balance. Symptoms of PD can severely impair a patient’s quality of life; however, medications and other treatments, including deep brain stimulation, can help address or manage the disease.  

Using exclusionary criteria, 27,631 women were monitored in this study for approximately 14 years. All of these women suffered from depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, or some combination of the three.  

The CDC states that in the United States, 18.5% of adults experience symptoms of depression. Furthermore, 11.7% of US adults deal with anxiety or anxiety-related symptoms and  

Of the 27,631 women monitored, 15% were taking an antidepressant. According to the CDC, 13.2% of adults in the US use antidepressants, with the rate being 4.5% higher in women.  

Additionally, 7% were taking an anxiolytic, an anti-anxiety drug, and 8% were taking a hypnotic.  

In contradiction to the previous studies, this publication concluded that hypnotic medications were not associated with an increased risk of PD development.  

Despite hypnotics having an insignificant impact on PD development, the use of antidepressants and anxiolytics contributed to a higher risk of developing PD. Patients who used antidepressants had a hazard ratio of 1.75, while those who used anxiolytics had a hazard ratio of 1.48.  

Furthermore, the researchers stated in the publication that those using one type of psychotropic medication had a 50% greater risk of developing PD. This risk tripled when looking at patients using two or more psychotropic medications.  

Understanding how psychotropic medications can contribute to PD risk may allow for early diagnosis and intervention, potentially improving the overall quality of life for PD patients.  

Although this research has contributed to understanding PD risks and its association with psychotropic medication, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders are complex and require further investigation.  

“Future PD studies should further explore the issue of confounding by indication by controlling for disease severity in an attempt to disentangle the respective roles of antidepressants and/or anxiolytics from those of underlying psychiatric conditions,” suggested the researchers in the paper.