Parkinson's Disease: Coping Strategies, Cognitive Restructuring and Deep Brain Stimulation

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly impacts patients' lives, necessitating effective coping mechanisms.
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a common treatment for PD, but its effect on patient coping strategies is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the evolution of coping strategies in Parkinson's disease patients before and after deep brain stimulation (DBS).
• To compare the effectiveness of different preoperative psychological interventions on coping strategy adaptation post-DBS.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 50 PD patients undergoing DBS.
• Coping strategies were assessed using the Coping with Health Injuries and Problem (CHIP) and BriefCOPE questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months post-DBS.
• Patients were randomized into three groups: preoperative psychological preparation (CRTG), non-structured interviews (PIG), and a control group (CG).

Main Results:

• Coping strategies significantly changed over time, with some used more preoperatively (information seeking, emotional regulation, well-being) and others more postoperatively (palliative coping, humor, substance use).
• No significant differences were found in the evolution of coping strategies based on the type of preoperative psychological preparation received.

Conclusions:

• Coping strategies are vital for PD patients' adaptation to their condition and should be systematically integrated into the neurosurgical process.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the dynamics of coping strategy evolution during DBS and the impact of preoperative psychotherapy.