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Ethnicity and movement disorders
J H Eastham1, J P Lacro, D V Jeste
1University of California, San Diego, USA.
The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, New York
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Ethnicity impacts movement disorders like Parkinson's disease and tardive dyskinesia. African Americans may have a higher risk for tardive dyskinesia compared to Caucasians.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Genetics
Background:
- Movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease and tardive dyskinesia, exhibit varying prevalence across different ethnic groups.
- Understanding these ethnic disparities is crucial for accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature on the relationship between ethnicity and the incidence of spontaneous and iatrogenic movement disorders.
- To specifically examine the role of ethnicity in Parkinson's disease and tardive dyskinesia.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of epidemiological studies and clinical surveys.
- Analysis of research comparing movement disorder rates across different racial and ethnic populations, such as African Americans, Caucasians, and Asians.
Main Results:
- Conflicting data exists regarding the prevalence of Parkinson's disease among African Americans compared to Caucasians.
- Evidence suggests a potentially higher risk of tardive dyskinesia in African Americans versus Caucasians, independent of neuroleptic drug exposure.
- Asian populations appear to have a lower or similar risk of tardive dyskinesia compared to Caucasians.
Conclusions:
- Ethnicity may play a role in the susceptibility to certain movement disorders.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the genetic and environmental factors underlying these ethnic variations in movement disorder etiology.