Mayo Clinic researchers found that surgical removal of both ovaries doubles a woman’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism many years later in life.

Removal of both ovaries is the major cause of reduced estrogen during a woman’s fertile life, and this reduction is linked to parkinsonism risk.
Even women who received estrogen treatment after the surgery, received doses that were generally lower than what is produced naturally by the ovaries and for a shorter number of years.
There is biological evidence from animal studies that estrogen is protective for the specific part of the brain that is involved in controlling movements.
Damage to this part results in Parkinson’s disease.

The Mayo Clinic investigators studied 1,202 women who had both ovaries surgically removed and 1,283 women who had one ovary surgically removed.

All the women studied were followed through the onset of parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease, death.

Among women who had no ovaries removed, 29 cases of parkinsonism developed, 18 of which were Parkinson’s disease.
In contrast, among women who had one or both ovaries removed, 43 cases of parkinsonism developed, 25 of which were Parkinson’s disease.
This includes 24 cases of parkinsonism, 15 of which were Parkinson’s disease, in women with both ovaries removed, and 19 cases of parkinsonism, 10 of which were Parkinson’s disease, in women with one ovary removed.

Source: Mayo Clinic, 2005


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