Two incurable diseases loom over our aging populace: Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Right now, Alzheimer’s is more common and seems a more widespread concern than the relatively narrow shadow cast by Parkinson’s.

That may change, as revealed by a surprising new study. North American cases of Parkinson’s disease are projected to increase 30% by 2050, and will double globally, according to the study, published in the journal The BMJ.

That’s about 25 million people worldwide by 2050 – the kind of prediction that gets attention in the realms of public health, insurance, hospitals, and politics. But what should it mean to you? A lot, said Parkinson’s expert Alfonso Fasano, MD. Alzheimer’s is the most common nerve-degrading disease, he said, citing recent dementia figures. If dementia rates continue to decline as they have been, Parkinson’s will take over first place in the coming decades, he said.

“People need to know about it because there is something that can be done to prevent, if possible, the occurrence of the disease, but also to live better with the disease if you get it,” he said. The field of Parkinson’s research is afire with recent breakthroughs in diagnostics and treatments. Symptoms mostly affect movement – slowing down, stiffness, and tremor while at rest. Others range from mental health effects to pain and fatigue.

If you think Parkinson’s means being wheelchair-bound with a short life expectancy, it’s time for an update. “People shouldn’t be scared. This is not terrible news,” said Xuemei Huang, MD, PhD, department chair and a professor of neurology for the University of Virginia Health System and School of Medicine. She published a study in January showing that most people with Parkinson’s who receive specialized care continue to independently carry out their daily activities for 10 to 15 years after diagnosis. “Once upon a time, in the 1950s, before we even knew about the role of dopamine in the brain and before we knew much about Parkinson’s disease, the average life expectancy of Parkinson’s patients was seven to eight years,” Huang said. “Many would be wheelchair-bound by the fifth year.”

Like soon-to-be second place dementia, though, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Scientists are working to decipher the combination of factors that trigger its start. A small portion of cases are clearly driven by genetics, but lifestyle and environmental factors figure prominently.