Differentiating between the impact of sex and gender in Parkinson’s disease: utilising these to advance current understanding and care practices
摘要
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a chronic, neurodegenerative condition caused by a combination of ageing, environmental exposure and genetics, although the specifics remain unknown. Although historically considered a male-predominant condition, PD also affects a substantial proportion of women and intersex individuals whose experiences are often underrepresented. These populations have been overlooked in PD research, but recent findings have observed that multiple facets of the condition, including clinical presentation and treatment response may vary between sexes. However, there remains a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to diagnosis, management and treatment strategies, which has resulted in delayed diagnoses and adverse reactions to treatment, particularly in women. There has also been misuse of the terminology sex and gender, where sex should refer to biology and gender should relate to the impact of social norms, exclusive to the human experience. However, it is important to distinguish between the influence of biology and gender norms when discussing a multidimensional chronic condition such as PD. Considering how sex and gender can personalise an individual’s experience living with PD will help improve the quality of research to inform and enhance standard care practices. This review will investigate the influence of sex and gender throughout an individual’s journey with PD to identify important considerations in future prevention, diagnosis and care strategies. Comprehensively understanding the influence of sex and gender in PD will inform research and clinical strategies to refine current considerations for future implementation.