Feasibility and Acceptability of Computerised Cognitive Training of Everyday Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease

Objectives. We piloted a computerised cognitive training battery in a group of participants with Parkinson’s disease without dementia to investigate the relevance of the training to daily life and the feasibility and the acceptability of the tasks. Previous studies of CT have had limited success in the benefits of training, extending to improvements in everyday function. By taking a pragmatic approach and targeting training to the cognitive skills affected by Parkinson’s disease (planning, attention, and recollection), whilst using tasks that emulated real-life scenarios, we sought to understand whether participants perceived the training to be effective and to identify the elements of the training that elicited beneficial effects. Methods. Four participants completed a cognitive training session comprising three distinct tasks 5 days a week over two weeks. Participants completed baseline questionnaires examining health-related quality of life, everyday cognition, and apathy before the training period, after the last session, and two weeks after the last session. An interview was held after participants had completed the training. Results. The findings indicated that participants felt the training was acceptable, enhanced their awareness, and encouraged them to monitor their thinking abilities. The group interview indicated that the training was feasible; participants felt the tasks had potential to improve everyday performance, but more supporting information should be provided to facilitate this transfer. Responses to the questionnaires reflected these findings, indicating improvement for some participants’ cognition and quality of life. Objective measures supported the subjective reports; there were improvements in some but not all domains. Performance on the planning and recollection tasks improved over the training period, and the evidence for improvement on the attention task was mixed. Conclusion. This study has found that pragmatic computer-based training with real-life outcomes is both feasible and acceptable and should be evaluated more extensively using controlled methods.

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Cognitive training interventions for dementia and mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease - A cochrane review summary with commentary

Neurorehabilitation ◽

10.3233/nre-218001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Tobias Loetscher

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Cochrane Review ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Training Interventions

BACKGROUND: The majority of people living with Parkinson’s disease will develop impairments in cognition. These impairments are associated with a reduced quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The Cochrane Review aimed to investigate whether cognitive training improves cognition in people with Parkinson’s disease and mild cognitive impairments or dementia. METHODS: A Cochrane Review by Orgeta et al. was summarized with comments. RESULTS: The review included seven studies with a total of 225 participants. There was no evidence for improvements in global cognition when cognitive training was compared to control conditions. Observed improvements in attention and verbal memory measures after cognitive training could not be confirmed in a subsequent sensitivity analysis. There was no evidence for benefits in other cognitive domains or quality of life measures. The certainty of the evidence was low for all comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of cognitive training for people with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive impairments remains inconclusive. There is a pressing need for adequately powered trials with higher methodological quality.

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Change in Motor and Nonmotor Symptoms Severity in a “Real-Life” Cohort of Subjects with Parkinson’s Disease

Neuroscience Journal ◽

10.1155/2015/368989 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Adib Jorge de Saráchaga ◽

Amin Cervantes-Arriaga ◽

Rodrigo Llorens-Arenas ◽

Humberto Calderón-Fajardo ◽

Mayela Rodríguez-Violante

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Real Life ◽

Nonmotor Symptoms ◽

Treatment Optimization ◽

Item Quality ◽

The Difference ◽

Updrs Part

Background. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive disorder. Rates of change in motor symptoms have been more studied compared to nonmotor symptoms. The objective was to describe these changes in a real-life cohort of subjects with PD. Methods. A cohort study was carried out from 2011 to 2013. Consecutive patients with PD were recruited from a movement disorders clinic. MDS-UPDRS, PDQ-8, and NMSS were applied to all subjects at an initial evaluation and a subsequent visit (21±3 months). Disease severity was categorized using a recent classification of MDS-UPDRS severity. Results. The MDS-UPDRS Part III showed a significant decrease of 7.2±2.31 points (p=0.001) between evaluations. A mean increase of 0.9±0.6 points (p=0.015) in the MDS-UPDRS Part IV was observed. An increase of 14.3±11.4 points (p=0.043) in the NMSS total score was found; when assessed individually, the difference was statistically significant only for the perceptual problems/hallucinations item. Quality of life remained unchanged. Conclusion. Motor improvement was observed accompanied by an increase in motor complications possibly as a result of treatment optimization. Nonmotor symptoms worsened as a whole. The overall effect in the quality of life was negligible.

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Critical issues of the biopsychosocial treatment of Parkinson’s disease

Orvosi Hetilap ◽

10.1556/oh.2015.30109 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 156 (12) ◽

pp. 472-478 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Péter Kincses ◽

Norbert Kovács ◽

Kázmér Karádi ◽

János Kállai

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

Her Family ◽

Critical Issues

This paper is a summary report on the basic questions of the biopsychosocial approach to Parkinson’s disease. It deals with cognitive, affective and psychological health issues which significantly influence the outcome of the physical rehabilitation. In spite of the unchanged cognitive status, the psychological burden of the changes in the quality of life, the obstruction, the change in the affective tone, and the shrinking ability to fulfil social roles decrease the patient’s quality of life. An interdisciplinary approach is best suited for mitigating these effects. Not only the patient but also his/her family and environment is seriously affected by the disease and its consequences. Treatment and rehabilitation options for increasing or maintaining the quality of life of the affected patients are diverse, and significantly depend on the features of the health care system. The authors believe that the following review emphasizing health psychological principles may contribute to the work of professionals working in clinical and rehabilitational fields and through them may increase the quality of life of patients and their family. Orv. Hetil., 2015, 156(12), 472–478.

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Effects of Dry Needling on Function, Muscle Tone and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct04101214 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Muscle Tone ◽

Dry Needling

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The Parkinson’s Real-World Impact Assessment (PRISM) Study: A European Survey of the Burden of Parkinson’s Disease in Patients and their Carers

Journal of Parkinson s Disease ◽

10.3233/jpd-212611 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Eduardo Tolosa ◽

Georg Ebersbach ◽

Joaquim J. Ferreira ◽

Olivier Rascol ◽

Angelo Antonini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Impact Assessment ◽

Real World ◽

European Countries ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Motor Symptoms ◽

Non Motor Symptoms

Background: A greater understanding of the everyday experiences of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their carers may help improve clinical practice. Objective: The Parkinson’s Real-world Impact assesSMent (PRISM) study evaluated medication use, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the use of healthcare resources by people with PD and their carers. Methods: PRISM is an observational cross-sectional study, in which people with PD and their carers completed an online survey using structured questionnaires, including the Parkinson’s Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39), Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMSQuest) and Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI). Results: Data were collected from 861 people with PD (mean age, 65.0 years; mean disease duration, 7.7 years) and 256 carers from six European countries. People with PD reported a large number of different co-morbidities, non-motor symptoms (mean NMSQuest score, 12.8), and impaired HRQoL (median PDQ-39 summary score, 29.1). Forty-five percent of people with PD reported at least one impulse control behaviour. Treatment patterns varied considerably between different European countries. Levodopa was taken in the last 12 months by 85.9% of participants, and as monotherapy by 21.8% . Carers, who were mostly female (64.8%) and the partner/spouse of the person with PD (82.1%), reported mild to moderate burden (mean ZBI total score, 26.6). Conclusions: The PRISM study sheds light on the lives of people with PD and those who care for them, re-emphasising the many challenges they face in everyday life. The study also provides insights into the current treatment of PD in Europe.

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Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/0269215521990526 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026921552199052

Author(s):

Zonglei Zhou ◽

Ruzhen Zhou ◽

Wen Wei ◽

Rongsheng Luan ◽

Kunpeng Li

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Motor Function ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Freezing Of Gait ◽

Movement Therapy ◽

Walking Velocity

Objective: To conduct a systematic review evaluating the effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life among individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Data sources: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database was carried out to identify eligible papers published up to December 10, 2020. Review methods: Literature selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment were independently performed by two investigators. Publication bias was determined by funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. “Trim and fill” analysis was performed to adjust any potential publication bias. Results: Seventeen studies involving 598 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Music-based movement therapy significantly improved motor function (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor subscale, MD = −5.44, P = 0.002; Timed Up and Go Test, MD = −1.02, P = 0.001), balance (Berg Balance Scale, MD = 2.02, P < 0.001; Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test, MD = 2.95, P = 0.001), freezing of gait (MD = −2.35, P = 0.039), walking velocity (MD = 0.18, P < 0.001), and mental health (SMD = −0.38, P = 0.003). However, no significant effects were observed on gait cadence, stride length, and quality of life. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that music-based movement therapy is an effective treatment approach for improving motor function, balance, freezing of gait, walking velocity, and mental health for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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Impact of Depression and Anxiety on Dimensions of Health-Related Quality of Life in Subjects with Parkinson’s Disease Enrolled in an Association of Patients

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11060771 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 771

Author(s):

Fany Chuquilín-Arista ◽

Tania Álvarez-Avellón ◽

Manuel Menéndez-González

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Well Being ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms. Depression and anxiety are common manifestations in PD and may be determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of this study is to determine the association of depression and anxiety with the dimensions of HRQoL in subjects with PD enrolled in an association of patients. Ninety-five community-based patients with PD diagnosis at different disease stages were studied. HRQoL was assessed using the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39); depression and anxiety were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. Our results showed that depression and anxiety were negatively associated with HRQoL measured by PDSI. Higher motor dysfunction measured by Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) staging was also associated with worse HRQoL. Depression was the most influential variable in the model. All PDQ-39 dimensions except social support and bodily discomfort were associated with depression. Anxiety was associated with the emotional well-being and bodily discomfort dimensions. These results suggest that physicians should pay attention to the presence of psychiatric symptoms and treat them appropriately.

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