Uppers Tied to Parkinson’s Risk, Kaiser Permanente Study

MedPageToday -- HONOLULU -- Use of amphetamines may be associated with an elevated risk for developing Parkinson’s disease later in life, an observational study found. In a large healthcare system, individuals who reported often taking amphetamine sulfate (Benzedrine) or dextroamphetamine sulfate (Dexedrine) had a 56% greater risk of having a Parkinson’s diagnosis decades later (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.40), according to Stephen Van Den Eeden, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.

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