Conflicts in Best Interest; Infants with severe neuromuscular disorders presenting to UK Courts.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a heterogeneous constellation of motor and non-motor symptoms that substantially impair the quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease (PwP). While advances in genetics, molecular biology and therapeutics have deepened our understanding of PD pathophysiology, far less attention has been paid to the social and cultural context in which the disease is experienced, recognized and managed. This gap is increasingly consequential as global prevalence rises, particularly in low- and middle-income regions, and as disparities in diagnosis, treatment access, caregiving burden and outcomes become more apparent. Although genetic and environmental risk factors are postulated to be associated with PD, ethnocultural influences are less well studied. Cultural norms may influence how symptoms are interpreted, whether they are attributed to aging, moral weakness, or supernatural causes, and when, or if, medical care is sought. Cultural norms can also shape illness narratives, stigma, health literacy, and trust in healthcare systems, thereby affecting diagnostic timelines, medication adherence and engagement with specialist services. Across regions, cultural beliefs intersect with systemic barriers such as poverty, geographical isolation, and inequitable health policies, producing marked global and within-country variation in the PD patient journey. This review examines PD through a cultural lens, integrating evidence on variation in disease expression, as well as diagnostic challenges and treatment access across diverse settings. We discuss cultural influences in stigma, health seeking behaviors and caregiving norms. By highlighting current knowledge gaps and culturally mediated inequities, we argue that culturally informed, contextually responsive models of care are essential for delivering equitable, person-centered PD care worldwide. We further outline practical future steps that could harness and address cultural influences in PD care.