My father, 64, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. How long can a person live after diagnosis?

Dr. Aleksandar Videnovic

This is a very specific question. Each individual is different and this applies to the life expectancy as well.

In most cases Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Patients with PD have somewhat shorter life span compared with healthy individuals that belong to the same age group.

On average, patients with PD live between 10 to 20 years after the diagnosis. Patients should however put these numbers in the perspective of their current age.

The life expectancy in PD has improved over the past decades with advances in the medical and surgical management of the disease as well as with the development of a comprehensive approach to the patients’ care.

Dr. Aleksandar Videnovic cares for patients with Parkinson’s disease and various movement disorders. He is a principal investigator and co-investigator on several clinical trials in the field of Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders. He is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.