Parkinson's Disease Impact Forecast for 2050

GBD 2021 analysis highlights key drivers across 195 countries and territories

A study published by TheBMJ (BMJ 2025;388:e080952) on March 5th, 2025, released a modelling study using the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate the pervasiveness of Parkinson’s disease impact globally, regionally, and nationally through 2050, and to identify the key factors contributing to changes in case numbers of the disease. TheBMJ’s published study states that “The global number of cases of Parkinson’s disease was forecasted to be 25.2 million in 2050. Furthermore, the all age prevalence of Parkinson’s disease was projected to reach 267 cases per 100,000 population.” The World Health Organization predicts that neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s, will become the second leading cause of death by 2040, surpassing cancer.

Estimated trends in the number of Parkinson’s disease (PD) cases by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) fifths (top) and age groups (bottom), for both sexes combined, with 95% uncertainty intervals, from 1990 to 2050. Solid lines represent values from the Global Burden of Disease (1990-2021), while dotted lines represent projected values (2022-50).
Image courtesy of theBMJ

Projected age-standardised prevalence (per 100,000) of Parkinson’s disease in 2050, by country and territory for both sexes combined.
Image courtesy of theBMJ

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