Another Study Found a Link Between Parkinson's Disease and the Appendix. What's Going On?

[Judi Lynn]

By Yasemin Saplakoglu, Staff Writer | May 10, 2019 03:34pm ET

Clumps of proteins found in the brains of people who have Parkinson's disease are also found somewhere else in the body — inside the appendixes of healthy people.

This finding has led researchers to study the link between the appendix and the risk of developing Parkinson's. For example, an October 2017 study found that removing the appendix was associated with a decreased risk of developing the disorder, Live Science reported.

But new findings suggest the opposite — removing the appendix is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson's. The study, which has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, will be presented later this month at Digestive Disease Week, a scientific meeting focused on digestive diseases. [3 Myths About Parkinson's Disease]

The new study looked at data on more than 62 million patients, using a database of records from 26 major healthcare systems across the U.S. The researchers identified patients who had appendectomies — surgery to remove the appendix — and flagged those who went on to develop Parkinson's disease at least six months later.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/65456-appendix-removal-parkinsons-risk.html