Women and Parkinson’s
Understanding the differences between how women and men experience Parkinson’s is crucial to creating tailored treatments, better care and supportive programming. More research studying the differences women experience with Parkinson’s is needed to ensure we meet the distinct needs of all people living with Parkinson’s.
Women experience Parkinson’s symptoms and response to medications differently than men, they experience more barriers to care, treatment and support, and are underrepresented in research.
With the limited research we do have, compared to men with Parkinson’s, women with Parkinson’s experience:
Different symptoms
Different medication side effects
Different challenges accessing health care
Less social support
Differences in symptoms, diagnosis and progression for women living with Parkinson’s
Although research is limited, studies have found that women experience the following compared to men:
- A lower risk of developing Parkinson's, though the exact reasons for this are still uncertain1.
- They're less often diagnosed and encounter greater hurdles in getting an accurate diagnosis2.
- Women report different symptoms1 and are more likely to downplay their symptoms2.
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Women with Parkinson’s are more likely to experience a tremor as the first symptom1. Additionally, they often report more severe non-motor symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and fatigue, which can significantly impact their quality of life1.
Treatment and care for women living with Parkinson’s
Women may respond differently to medications, experience different side effects, and require distinct approaches to care. Research has shown that:
- Small adjustments in medications or their schedule can lead to considerable changes in symptoms for women with Parkinson’s3.
- Women may experience more dyskinesias (involuntary movements) as a side effect of levodopa, which can significantly affect their quality of life1.
- Women are less likely to receive advanced treatments like Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) despite having greater reported improvements in quality of life compared to men following DBS1.
The role of hormones in Parkinson’s
The relationship between hormones, particularly estrogen, and Parkinson’s is not well understood. Some research findings highlight the potential effect of hormones and Parkinson’s:
- Hormones, particularly estrogen, may be a factor in reducing Parkinson’s risk in women4.
- Estrogen may help protect nerve cells in the brain from damage (neuroprotective)1.
Hormone replacement therapy has been studied with conflicting results5. More research is needed to understand the role of hormones in the onset and progression of Parkinson's in women.
Unique challenges women living with Parkinson’s face
Women often experience unique challenges which can make managing Parkinson’s even more difficult, including but not limited to:
- Family and caregiving roles: Women are often primary caregivers, even when managing their own health. Women with Parkinson's need family and community support to prioritize their well-being.
- Work and social life: Parkinson's can impact women's ability to work and maintain social connections. Women-specific support groups can offer a sense of community and understanding.
- Pregnancy and parenthood: The number of pregnancies in women with Parkinson’s is small (because most people are diagnosed with the condition later in life), so research on this topic is limited. For more information on Parkinson’s and Pregnancy, visit this page.
The Parkinson Canada-funded research project ‘Women's health in Parkinson's disease’ Research Project led by Dr. Veronica Bruno aims to understand the unique experiences and challenges faced by women with Parkinson's in Canada.
Taking action
For women navigating living with Parkinson’s, it’s important to:
Be kind to yourself. Give yourself permission to acknowledge your struggles and remember they are valid.
Build and lean on a support system that works for you. If it’s available to you, reach out to friends, family and utilize outside services to help. Join a support group, ideally one specifically for women with Parkinson’s. Visit our support group page.
Advocate for yourself and work with your health care team to identify goals for treatment and care. Remember to report all symptoms and medication side effects to your health care team.
Additional resources on women and Parkinson’s
A note on sex and gender
Sex and gender differences can drastically impact health and are important to consider when it comes to Parkinson’s. Sex is a biological identifier generally determined at birth (male or female). A person’s gender can be related to their biological sex or can be expressed differently. While biological sex is fixed, gender expression can be thought of as a spectrum. On this page, we use the term “women” to reflect biological sex.
