Prolactin, Inflammation, and Parkinson's Severity

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 18 years * Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease confirmed by a neurologist * Both male and postmenopausal female patients * Patients able to provide informed consent * Clinically stable enough to undergo blood and saliva sampling, as well as neurological assessment Exclusion Criteria: * Premenopausal female patients * Patients with secondary or atypical parkinsonism (e.g., drug-induced, vascular, atypical parkinsonian syndromes) * Known endocrine disorders affecting prolactin levels (e.g., prolactinoma, pituitary adenoma, hypothyroidism) * Use of medications known to alter prolactin secretion (e.g., antipsychotics, dopamine antagonists, estrogen therapy) * History of other neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's, Huntington's) * Presence of active infection, chronic inflammatory disease, or malignancy * Severe renal, hepatic, or cardiac failure * Inability to provide informed consent