Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive, multisystem neurodegenerative disease that significantly affects patients’ quality of life. The perception of the disease plays a crucial role in the psychological adaptation of patients. The poorly studied relationship between the self-assessment of the disease, neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, apathy, cognitive disorders), and the quality of life of patients emphasizes the need for further research in this area.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship of the perceptions of the disease with motor, cognitive, emotional impairment, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with early stages of PD.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Fifty-three patients with Hoehn-Yahr stage 1—2 PD were examined (32 females, 21 males; age 60.8±7.68 years; disease duration 2.38±1.29 years). The study used Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Beck Depression Inventory, Starkstein Apathy Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, SCOPA-COG, MoCA, Control Function tests for executive functions, PDQ-39 Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the R. Moss-Morris Illness Perception Questionnaire.
RESULTS
Males had a higher self-assessment of treatment control; females and all patients at stage 1 had a more pronounced emotional representation (ER). ER was negatively correlated with the PD duration, indicators of cognitive functions (total MoCA and SCOPA-COG scores; control and visual-spatial functions), and positively correlated with motor disorders, depression, anxiety, and QoL reduction. Personal control and understanding of the disease correlated positively with cognitive function and negatively with apathy, depression, anxiety, and most QoL domains. Perceptions of serious consequences and the cyclical course of the disease were associated with a higher level of depression and anxiety and a decrease in QoL.
CONCLUSION
Perceptions of the disease in patients with early stages of PD are closely related to cognitive and emotional impairment, as well as QoL. Psychological support should consider ER, perception of consequences, and control and understanding of the disease as a target for correction.
