38-Year-Old Diagnosed with Parkinson’s; Trend Worries Experts

New Delhi: In a landmark case that revealed important insights into the genetic predisposition of Indians to Parkinson’s disease, 38-year-old teacher Divyanshu Goel was diagnosed with the illness at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. Goel, who teaches in Faridabad, first noticed that he had begun walking more slowly, his handwriting had shrunk, and his body wasn’t moving the way it used to.

He brushed off these signs as tiredness until a neurological assessment confirmed early-onset Parkinson’s disease. His case was handled by Dr. Sanjay Pandey, Professor and Head, Department of Neurology and Stroke Medicine at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.

Dr. Pandey said, “When the patient came in, he was almost appalled and didn’t want to believe the diagnosis. But his case is one of many we are now seeing across India. Parkinson’s is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.”

Goel’s symptoms were triggered by the Parkin gene. Along with known genes like Parkin and SNCA, new Indian studies are also pointing to the BSN gene, which appears far more relevant in South Asians[1]. Further explaining the trend, Dr. Pandey continued, “This shift in genetic patterns explains why people in their thirties and forties often dismiss early Parkinson’s signs as stress or exhaustion.

For a country like India, where neurodegenerative disorders are rising with increasing life expectancy, integrating genetic knowledge into day-to-day clinical practice will be critical.”

His experience aligns with a major new Indian study, which confirms that Parkinson’s disease is quietly shifting into younger age groups. Researchers analysing 674 young-onset patients found strong genetic drivers in Indians under 50[2]. Global research is also reinforcing this shift.

A breakthrough study by Northwestern University recently identified the Commander gene complex, a set of genes involved in the brain’s protein-recycling system. When this process fails, it contributes to the death of brain cells associated with Parkinson’s. This finding is now shaping international conversations on early detection and disease progression.

At Amrita Hospital, Goel’s treatment plan included targeted medication, physiotherapy, balance training, and speech therapy. He later underwent a procedure in which small electrical leads were placed inside his brain to help improve movement signals. These steps, provided in sequence, helped him regain his mobility and confidence.

Talking about his sudden diagnosis, Divyanshu Goel said, “When the doctors first told me I had Parkinson’s, I honestly couldn’t believe it. I was only 38 and I kept thinking this was something that happened to much older people. The diagnosis shocked me, but the treatment gave me back control over my life. Today I feel stable, I’m teaching again, and I’m hoping to live this way for the rest of my life.”

The patient was cured within months and walked out with his symptoms under control. Currently, he has returned to his professional and personal routines. His recovery highlights that when detected early, Parkinson’s can be managed in time and treated more effectively.