Ozzy Osbourne's Death Puts Spotlight on Rare Form of Parkinson's

Scientific American

17 hours ago

On July 22, Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath, died at age 76. The 'Prince of Darkness' had been outspoken about keeping up with stage performances and touring while undergoing care for a rare form of Parkinson's disease called Parkin —named after the gene PRKN which is linked to the disease. He played his last live performance with his bandmates in Birmingham, England on July 5.
'It's been terribly challenging for us all,' Osbourne said in a 2020 Good Morning America interview when he publicly announced his diagnosis.
'There's so many different types of Parkinson's,' Osbourne's wife, Sharon, said during the interview. 'It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body.'
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Osbourne's cause of death was not disclosed. The late heavy metal musician had often openly shared his intense lifestyle and experience with drug use, which may have worsened the progression of his form of Parkinson's, according to the New York Times.
What Do We Know About Parkin?
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative condition in which nerve cells, largely in the basal ganglia of the brain, deteriorate or die. According to the National Institutes of Aging, the illness typically progresses with age (most people develop the disease after age 60) and is known for causing tremors, stiff muscles, balance issues, slowed movement and other mobility problems. People may also experience difficulty swallowing, chewing and speaking as well as mental health issues, including depression and mood changes. Emerging research suggests that acting out dreams might also predict Parkinson's disease.
PRKN, which is one of the genes implicated in Parkinson's disease, is involved in maintaining mitochondrial function, which could affect cellular energy—but how that exactly leads to disease is unclear, according to Medline Plus. Parkinson's disease is linked to more than 200 mutations, some of which may cause issues with protein production, durability and function.
In the 2020 Good Morning America interview, the Osbourne family disclosed that he had Parkin 2.[LY1] Osbourne had volunteered to have his genome sequenced in 2010 to see if his DNA could offer more clues about his health and condition.
'He was really curious to know about his Parkinson's-like symptoms, so we looked pretty closely in his genome for that kind of stuff. We found a few hints, but we couldn't tell him why he has symptoms like a tremor. And frankly, his history of drug abuse probably contributed to that, too,' Nathan Pearson, then research director of Cofactor Genomics which sequenced Osbourne's genome, told Scientific American in 2010.
Does Parkinson's Disease Cause Death?
Data on Parkinson's disease and mortality are inconsistent, with some studies suggesting that those with the condition, particularly an advanced or severe form, have about a 1.5 times higher death rate than the general population, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association. Parkinson's disease in combination with another disease or injury, such as a fall, ulcer or pneumonia, could also increase the likelihood of death.
While uncurable, Parkinson's is considered a livable disease. Drugs that act on certain brain neurotransmitters, including dopamine —a hormone involved in movement—can help alleviate symptoms. Research on deep-brain stimulation, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Parkinson's tremor in 1997, has shown the technology to be a highly effective treatment.