Researchers of a UK-wide online survey of 251 people with Parkinson’s (PwP) and 62 carers examined diagnosed/undiagnosed psychological symptoms, their timing, and perceived links with physical symptoms. Psychological comorbidity was common: 38.5% reported at least one diagnosed condition and 44.6% reported undiagnosed symptoms such as anxiety or depression. About half perceived a bi-directional relationship between physical and psychological symptoms, a view especially prevalent among those with prior psychological symptom experience. PwP and carers largely agreed on the impact of psychological symptoms, but carers rated the impact of physical symptoms higher than PwP did. Descriptive analyses highlighted that perceptions differed subtly by role (PwP vs carer) and by whether respondents had previously experienced psychological symptoms.
Respondents noted that psychological symptoms frequently predated the Parkinson’s diagnosis and were often under-recognized. The authors suggest raising awareness of physical–psychological interactions to improve screening, assessment, and timely referral, with the goal of more holistic care. Embedding routine mental health screening and psychoeducation for both PwP and carers may help bridge these gaps. They also call for further research to delineate potential disease subtypes and to better predict trajectories of physical and psychological presentations.
Reference: Hodgson P, Jordan A, Sinani C, Charura D. The relationship between physical function and psychological symptoms in Parkinson’s: Perceptions of People with Parkinson’s and Carers. PLoS One. 2025;20(4):e0310578. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310578.
