A study published in the journal BMJ found that by 2050, the number of people with Parkinson's disease worldwide will reach 25.2 million—112 percent more than in 2021, driven by an aging population.

Overall, the number—prevalence across all age groups—of people with Parkinson's disease per 100,000 population is projected to increase by 76 percent, and when adjusted for age differences, by 55 percent—age-standardized prevalence, with rates projected to be highest in East Asia.

The researchers say this projection could serve as an “aid in promoting health research, informing policy decisions, and allocating resources.”

Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing and most disabling neurodegenerative disease in the world. However, its future prevalence projections are still lacking in many countries and regions.

To address this issue, researchers used data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate the age, sex, and prevalence of people with Parkinson's disease in 195 countries and territories between 2022 and 2050, as well as the factors driving changes in Parkinson's disease incidence.

They noted that the number of people with Parkinson's disease worldwide will be 25.2 million people—of all ages and both sexes—in 2050, which will be a 112 percent increase compared to 2021.

According to projections, by 2050, Parkinson's disease incidence will increase in regions of the world where the disease is common, especially in moderately developed countries that are in the middle range of the Sociodemographic Index (SDI

The researchers predict that the main driver—89 percent—of this increase will be the aging of population, followed by population growth—20 percent, with different trends to be observed at regional and national levels.