Hearing loss may be early sign of Parkinson's

PEOPLE who suffer hearing loss are at an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, say scientists.

- Chris Riches

An estimated 153,000 people are living with the neurological condition, with one in 37 Britons diagnosed in their lifetime.

Using the UK Biobank of health data, 159,395 were studied who had previously had a test for detecting speech in noisy environments but no history of Parkinson's.

Over an average follow-up period of 14.24 years, 810 participants were subsequently diagnosed with the disease.