The Effect of Stress on Working Memory in Persons with Parkinson's Disease.
The Effect of Stress on Working Memory in Persons with Parkinson's Disease.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Ames, US · Author affiliation
Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.Location evidence
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Original abstract
BACKGROUND: In addition to motor symptoms, persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience several non-motor symptoms with challenges in working memory being particularly common. These cognitive challenges may worsen under stress. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine how physical stress affects working memory in persons with PD. METHODS: Eight individuals with PD and 11 healthy older adults (HOAs) completed digit span forward and backward tasks following a socially evaluated cold pressor stressor and a control condition. RESULTS: Under non-stressful conditions, persons with PD had a smaller digit span backward capacity and were slower during the digit span forward task compared to HOAs. However, during the stress condition, individuals with PD performed comparably to HOAs on the backward digit span task. Stress negatively affected response times on the backward task for both groups but did not alter capacity or response time on the forward task. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide an initial step in understanding the effects of physical stress on working memory in PD. Since working memory supports many daily activities, understanding how stress influences this cognitive process may inform interventions that enhance stress regulation and improve cognitive and functional outcomes for individuals living with PD.