Facing Multiple Illnesses at the Same Time

Before I was born, my dad almost lost his life to ulcerative colitis. He was on his honeymoon when he had to be hospitalized, cutting his joyous week short. And he barely left the hospital with his life.

It wasn’t until much later that he was introduced to Parkinson’s disease, or rather that it was introduced to him. Then, suddenly, he was managing 2 life sentences, learning how to live fully while managing his illnesses.

Is there a connection?

I’ve always wondered if there’s a correlation between Parkinson’s and my dad having had an earlier disease. Could ulcerative colitis have contributed to my dad’s eventual development of Parkinson’s disease?

Curious about the research that has been conducted around the matter of comorbidities (when 2 disease exist simultaneously), I began looking into current research. But it’s important to note that I’m not a clinician or an expert of any kind.

According to one study, Parkinson’s has been associated with many different diseases. And it’s possible that there is a relationship between those diseases, and the progression of Parkinson’s disease.¹

While research regarding comorbidities in relation to Parkinson’s is still somewhat new, the same study suggests that "chronic diseases like anemia and cancer may be implicated in the pathogenesis of PD."¹

Comorbidities and Parkinson’s

Additionally, there’s a growing body of evidence that shows that illnesses like diabetes may contribute to neurodegenerative processes.¹

This parallel was first drawn in 1993, causing additional research to be conducted about the matter. And some of that research has shown that you’re at a higher risk of developing PD if you have diabetes.¹

Another factor that may or may not impact Parkinson’s disease is depression. This study showed that 35 percent of Parkinson’s patients have also reported depressive symptoms.

And depression could be an early predictor for the development of Parkinson’s disease. But some researchers also suspect that depression could be a cause or effect of Parkinson’s.¹

Ulcerative colitis

While my dad doesn’t struggle with diabetes or depression, he does have challenges of his own. Ulcerative colitis impacts the way that he nourishes his body. While the standard human body is capable of taking most nutrients out of our food, my dad’s body may not be.

Since he has been dancing with colitis for the past 30 some years, it seems possible that the setbacks he has had from colitis may impact his overall health and well-being. Does a change in the gut microbiome or your nutritional balance contribute to Parkinson's?

I’ve been unable to track down information regarding ulcerative colitis and Parkinson’s specifically. But a link was established between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Parkinson's. There’s a genetic component that these conditions share. And gut inflammation could contribute to lower dopaminergic neurons.²

Continuing research

While we don’t yet fully understand the relationship between IBD and Parkinson’s disease, it is clear that those with IBS have a higher likelihood of developing Parkinson’s later on.³

I also recognize that IBS and ulcerative colitis are not the same conditions But they do share certain components like inflammation and they can lead to malnutrition.

It’s because of this that I hope researchers continue to evaluate the relationship between the digestive tract and Parkinson’s disease.