Common dementia drug found to improve Parkinson's symptoms

Public Release: 12-Jan-2016
Common dementia drug found to improve Parkinson's symptoms
Parkinson's UK

Scientists have discovered that a commonly prescribed dementia drug could hold the key to helping prevent debilitating falls for people with Parkinson's.

The research, published today in The Lancet Neurology (1), shows people with Parkinson's who were given the oral drug rivastigmine were 45% less likely to fall and were considerably steadier when walking, compared to those on the placebo.

Parkinson's affects 127,000 people in the UK and approximately seven million worldwide. 70% of people with Parkinson's will fall at least once a year, with over a third experiencing falls repeatedly, resulting in fractures, broken bones and hospital admissions (2).

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