Evidence for exponential progression in advanced Parkinson’s disease: retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study

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A cohort of 34 patients with Parkinson's disease was studied over more than two decades to assess motor progression.
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Motor disability progressed significantly faster in late-stage Parkinson's disease compared to earlier stages.
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The median age at death for participants was 78.4 years, with a mean disease duration of 14.5 years.
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Cognitive impairment had the strongest effect on the classification of motor progression segments.
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The findings suggest that Parkinson's disease may exhibit an exponential progression in its advanced stages.

Frontiers In Neurology

by Sophie Merve Yener, Catherine Ding, Ganga Ganesvaran, Jane E. Alty, Benjamin G. Clissold, Craig D. McColl, Katrina A. Reardon, Mark Schiff, Peter A. Kempster
June 5, 2026

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