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Religiosity in patients with Parkinson's disease
Patrick McNamara1, Raymon Durso, Ariel Brown
1Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, and VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA. mcnamar@bu.edu.
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
|May 5, 2009
Summary
Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) show reduced interest in religion compared to healthy individuals. Religiosity in PD correlates with prefrontal function, suggesting a link to brain networks.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Movement Disorders
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor function.
- Alterations in mood and cognitive function are common in PD.
- The relationship between religiosity and PD has not been extensively studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical correlates of religiosity in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
- To compare religiosity levels between patients with PD and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Assessed life goals, religiosity, mood, and neuropsychological function in 22 patients with mid-stage PD and 20 age-matched healthy controls.
- Calculated levodopa dose equivalents (LDE) for PD patients.
- Utilized Mini Mental State Exam, logical memory recall, Stroop test, and mood scales.
Main Results:
- Parkinson's disease patients reported "my religion or life philosophy" as less important compared to controls.
- Patients with PD consistently scored lower on religiosity scales than controls.
- Prefrontal function measures, but not other cognitive or mood scales, correlated with religiosity scores in PD patients.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with Parkinson's disease exhibit diminished interest and lower religiosity scores compared to age-matched controls.
- Prefrontal dopaminergic networks may play a role in the motivational aspects of religiosity in PD.
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