[Parkinson's disease in a population group in northern Norway]

Parkinson's disease has been studied in a community of Northern Norway. The main object of the study was to find the prevalence of the disease. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease was 133 per 100,000 population (men 113, women 134) and 189 adjusted to the total Norwegian population (both sexes). Prevalence increased with age in both sexes, especially after the 60th year. The average age at onset was 63.1 years (men 60.5, women 65.4 years). Tremor was present in 98% of the patients, hypokinesia in 78%, rigidity in 65%, all three in 56% and pain in 35%. The prevalence, sex distribution, and the age at onset is similar to that in other European and North American studies.