How Stress Can Unmask Parkinson’s Disease

[Farooqji]

stress can trigger the onset of clinical manifestations of PD, by unveiling an underlying disease that had been unfolding for many years. Thus, the sudden symptom onset after a stressful event is not unique to functional disorders, and may lead to avoidable feelings of guilt if people wrongly attribute PD to this event. It remains unclear what mechanism explains this phenomenon, and why symptoms persist after the stressful event has passed.

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[Smittybear7]

Thanks for sharing. I’m convinced that Stress is a major factor in my Parkinson’s . I’m trying to find ways to reduce stress.

[Jmellano]

I believe that we all have the potential for many diseases to manifest. I believe the onset of disease is triggered by stress and/or emotional trauma. My PD was diagnosed 6 months after the suicide of my life partner. We had been together for over 33 years I truly believe that I may have had the propensity to get Pd, and the emotional trauma I experienced pushed me over the edge and my body was not strong enough to keep the pd in check

[Gymsack]

I think we agree that PD causes stress and stress makes the PD much worse and it takes time to overcome the effects of stress and break the circle with the effort to reduce stress in our lives paying dividends. I can also see how PD could be made visible for the first time and be brought forward by an extreme stressful event. However it may be a long reach to suggest that the PD was caused by stress. Although stress can hide in many forms , chemical, electrical, genetics , etc and the strain need not show for many years.

[Esperanto in reply to Gymsack]

Amazing that this phenomenon is only described after so much experience and research. On CP we have read about similar experiences more often, that stress is perhaps not the cause but often indeed the trigger for PD. This became most clear during my first visit to the neurologist: "Actually, I'm pretty sure you have PD, but let's wait and see and make a new appointment in 6 months just to be sure. You can always call me if the symptoms worsen." Within a month, due to this additional stress, the symptoms suddenly became so obvious that there was no doubt anymore, and after successful medication with C.L, I received the diagnosis of PD. A “nice” setup to provide the neurologist with more guidance using this trick.

[Esperanto]

Probably because there hasn't been any serious research done on it, "It remains unclear what mechanism explains this phenomenon, and why symptoms persist after the stressful event has passed." Nevertheless, there could ne an explanation that I would like to have investigated if I were given the opportunity. Even before this research, I had the plan to write to the main author, Anouk van der Heide, about this because she seems to be the specialist in this field.

The so-called stress-related PD could possibly be triggered by a deficiency in vitamin B that occurs during (chronic) stress. Usually, this involves B6 and B12, but B1, B2, and the other B vitamins also play an important role. Interestingly, these happen to be the B vitamins that are often found to be deficient in people with Parkinson's disease. Additionally, there is the further deterioration caused by the extra depletion of B6 due to the carbidopa in the C/L medication.

Since B6 is not tested for in the early stages of PD, and unfortunately often not in later stages either, I cannot prove this assumption, but there seems to be a connection, at least in my case. The PD symptoms did significantly decrease with supplementation of the necessary B vitamins, but unfortunately, there is still no complete cure, in accordance with the findings in this study.

[gomelgo]

I had every type of stressor happen in the space of a few months. Completely convinced that they all brought about my current condition. Especially the diagnosis!!!

[bassofspades]

I agree with this! I know PD takes years, sometimes, to creep up on you, but at the time I first started showing symptoms worth getting checked by a doctor, I was under extreme stress due to pressure at work and lack of sleep. Its that extra push off the cliff, I guess.