NEWS 28 May 2024 Autistic people three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s-like symptoms Largest study of its kind also finds increased risk in older adults with a range of intellectual disabilities. By Miryam Naddaf

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01572-w?utm_source=Live+Audience&utm_campaign=29096efd03-nature-briefing-daily-20240529&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b27a691814-29096efd03-50432164 People with autism, intellectual disabilities or both are three times more likely than the general population to develop Parkinson's-like symptoms as they age — such as tremors and sudden freezing while walking. The study, the largest of its kind, followed almost a quarter of a million people in the United States aged 45 and older. It’s not clear whether this parkinsonism is linked to autism by an as-yet unidentified facet of brain health or development, or whether it could be affected by antipsychotic drugs given to some children with autism.