A stark message has been issued as experts push to tackle the world’s fastest-growing disease. A new study that aims to understand the genetics of Parkinson’s has been held up by the need for 7000 Australians without a family link to the disease to provide a saliva sample to “crack the code” on Parkinson’s. The degenerative neurological condition impacts memory, thinking and movement and is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world.
People with Parkinson’s are likely to also develop dementia, a brain condition that impacts memory, speech, thinking and behaviour. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia. Kristine Maiorana was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when she was just 53 after she began to smell cigarette smoke all day and experience rigidity.
“My right side is all affected, so my right foot was curling – it was affecting my walk,” Ms Maiorana said. She said even simple tasks such as using a computer mouse were becoming difficult “because there was no power in (her) fingers to actually use the buttons”. Diagnosed in June 2023, Ms Maiorana said she went through a period of denial before she adapted to the condition.
“There’s so many different emotions that you go through with it all, and then it’s the comforting everyone around you,” she said. “‘Devastating news’ – that was said to me many times.” She said her days were filled with appointments to help manage the disease while working full time doing re.