Men who suffer with constipation are more likely to be diagnosed with the neurological disorder, Parkinson's disease, the results of a new study indicate.

The study looked at almost 6,800 men aged between 51 and 75, over the course of 24 years.

Constipation is the infrequent and difficult passage of stool. For this study, it was defined as having less than one bowel movement a day.

Those who suffered with constipation were found to be 2.7 times more likely to develop Parkinson's, compared with men who had an average of one bowel movement per day.

The research took into account a number of factors, including the men's age, whether they smoked and their use of laxatives.

The researchers were unable to determine why this link exists, however they suggested that Parkinson's may affect gut function long before it is discovered anywhere else in the body.

The results of this study can be found in the latest edition of the medical journal, 'Neurology'.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder, which causes muscle tremor, stiffness and slowness of movement. It affects around 5,000 people in Ireland.