Scientists at the Mayo Clinic have found a link between constipation and an increased risk of Parkinson’s Disease, according to Reuters.

Researchers involved with the study evaluated medical records over a 38-year time frame of nearly 200 Parkinson’s patients and 200 controls without the disease. They found that 36 percent of those who had the disease had a history of constipation, compared to just 20 percent in the control group.

They note that the association between constipation and Parkinson’s was evident long before the onset of the disease. "Indeed, the association remained significant when restricted to constipation documented more than 20 years before the onset of Parkinson’s disease," researchers wrote in the journal Neurology.

However, researchers say that since the digestive ailment is not directly related to the nervous system, constipation is not a specific marker for Parkinson’s. They say that further studies are needed to evaluate the link between the two conditions.

About 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year. It is a degenerative brain disease characterized by tremors, speech and walking problems and rigid muscles. Among the alternative treatments for the disease are coenzyme Q-10 nutritional supplements, massage, tai chi and yoga.

According to the Mayo Clinic, constipation is a common gastrointestinal problem characterized by infrequent bowel movements. Remedies include diet changes, exercise, acupuncture and fiber supplements.