Predictive modeling to uncover Parkinson’s disease characteristics that delay diagnosis

PD patients present with diverse symptoms, complicating timely diagnosis. We analyzed 1124 PD trajectories using a novel model-based approach to estimate whether diagnosis was early or late compared to cohort averages. Higher age, specific non-motor symptoms, and fast disease progression were linked to later diagnosis, while gait impairment led to earlier diagnosis. Our findings are in line with a biological definition of PD that extends beyond classical motor symptoms.