People with depression may have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study indicates.

Parkinson's is a progressive neurological disease, the symptoms of which include tremors, stiffness and slow movement. An estimated six to seven thousand people in Ireland are affected and there is currently no cure.

According to scientists in Taiwan, while depression has been linked to diseases such as cancer, their findings suggest that ‘depression may also be an independent risk factor for Parkinson's disease'.

They analysed the medical records of almost 4,700 people with depression and more than 18,500 without the condition. These participants were followed up over a 10-year period.

The study found that those with depression were at least three times more likely to develop Parkinson's disease compared to people without depression.

"Many questions remain, including whether depression is an early symptom of Parkinson's disease rather than an independent risk factor for the disease," the scientists said.

They added that the study found that having depression that was considered difficult to treat was also a ‘significant risk factor'.

Details of these findings were published in the journal, Neurology.

Some 280,000 people in Ireland have depression. For more information on the condition, see our Depression Clinic here