Bruce,
This information is from The Incidence and Preavlence Data
Base (Dialog File 465)
U.S. Incidence: (number of new cases each year)
" An estimated 50,000 new cases of idiopathic Parkinson's
Disease (IPD) are reported each year. AGE AT ONSET: The
mean age at onset of Parkinson's disease (paralysis agitans)
is in the mid-50s; approximately 40% of patients develop the
disease between the ages of 50 and 60. However, almost 30% of
patients report the onset of recognizable symptoms before
the age of 50,and 10% of patients report onset before age 40."
Also, the "Young Parkinson's Handbook" from the APDA states
that "approximately 10% of all patients develop symptons before
age 50."
Of course, there's no way of knowing how accurate any of
this is since it's all based on estimates, but it's all we have.
Hope this is of some help.
Linda Herman
[log in to unmask]
