Age and gender aspects of parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects men and women differently, creating unique challenges and approaches in its treatment. Men are twice as likely to develop PD as women, but women experience higher mortality rates and faster disease progression. Moreover, motor and non-motor symptoms, response to treatment, and risk factors differ between men and women. These differences support the hypothesis that the disease’s pathogenesis may involve different mechanisms in male and female patients, or the same mechanisms manifesting differently. This review summarizes current knowledge on gender differences in the clinical manifestations of PD, risk factors, treatment response, and the disease’s pathophysiological mechanisms. Understanding how the pathology differently affects men and women can aid in the development of individualized interventions and innovative programs to meet the varied needs of patients of both sexes, thereby improving the quality of care.