[Neuropsychological evaluation and psychological intervention on patients with Parkinson's disease in physical rehabilitation].
[Neuropsychological evaluation and psychological intervention on patients with Parkinson's disease in physical rehabilitation].
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Original abstract
OBJECTIVE: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is characterized by a wide range of motor and non-motor symptoms. In the last years the evaluation of cognitive functioning, emotional aspects and health status of PD patients has became ever-growing important. METHODS: In this article a neuropsychological and psychological assessment model, by means of tests and interviews, and a clinical approach to the narrative themes are described. Areas of clinical investigation: cognitive processing, emotional acceptance and behavioural adaptation to the disease, motivation to rehabilitation treatment, expectations regarding functional recovery, adherence, social and family perceived support, mood, awareness of possible cognitive deficits. Tests assessment (based on specific cognitive deficits related to PD): MMSE, FAB, TMTA-B, Phonological verbal fluency test, Stroop test, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) or Beck Depression Inventory- BDI-II and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8). The psychological approach, which is part of an interdisciplinary rehabilitative intervention, is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it is focused on disease management even in the absence, sometimes, of a significant general emotional status modification and it is aimed at improving patient's adaptability, self-management and empowerment. In order to describe the model, the clinical and test data of two PD patients are illustrated. CONCLUSIONS: The added value of this psychological approach lies in the clinical data integration of the test evaluation, the narrative aspects and the information mediated by the inter-professional team. This model allows a deeper and more personalized identification of the patient's subjective adjustment process according to his/her personal needs and resources.