Gout is a chronic disease caused by the presence of too much uric acid in the blood: this is called hyperuricemia. This overproduction of uric acid causes the accumulation of tiny crystals around the joint tissues, which creates a sudden inflammation: this is the famous gout attack.
Besides the fact that patients suffer from very painful attacks, researchers at the University of Oxford have just discovered that they also have an increased risk of suffering from neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
An increased risk within 3 years of diagnosis
For their study, the British researchers followed 11,735 patients diagnosed with gout. They found that within three years of diagnosis, gout was associated with a 43% higher incidence of Parkinson’s disease and a higher incidence of dementia from all causes. The researchers therefore suggest that gout patients be monitored for early detection of cognitive and motor symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases.
In video: 3 things to know about gout
Source : Association of gout with brain reserve and vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseaseNature communications, June 2023
