Identifying emotions can be a struggle for people with Parkinson’s
Research findings are leading me to question my father's behavior, symptoms
Throughout my dad’s Parkinson’s disease journey, I’ve learned a lot about his symptoms. They include facial masking, which can make it difficult for those around him to fully understand his emotional experience. Up until this week, however, I’d never heard that he might have a hard time interpreting other people’s emotions, too.
What’s interesting is that some research shows that those who experience prominent Parkinson’s symptoms on the left side are more likely to struggle with vocal emotional identification. And they and others who have a hard time recognizing emotions have a particularly difficult time identifying negative emotions. The same researchers suggest that’s because Parkinson’s affects some neural circuits in the brain that are linked to emotional perception.
Dad’s symptoms started on his right side, so, according to this research, he should be less likely to have trouble identifying emotions than others with Parkinson’s. Still, I continuously wonder how the disease has changed him.
Seeing my father anew
This revelation about emotional detection has led me to ask myself a lot of personal questions. Throughout my life, I’ve often felt that my dad was emotionally intelligent and perceptive of even nuanced emotions. He was often the safe person I ran to during times of distress, offering me comfort amid life’s trials. He knew when something was wrong, even when it wasn’t overt.
As we’ve grown older, our perspectives have become more binary and conflicted. We often disagree about politics, religion, and all of the other dangerous topics you’re not supposed to bring up at the dinner table. I’ve been trying to understand how it is that he’s changed so much throughout the past few decades. How could someone who was once soft, sweet, and empathetic grow hard? (A few days ago, I asked him if we become hardened in old age. He said we become “wisened.”)
This new-to-me information about emotional detection in Parkinson’s has me wondering if some of Dad’s shifts are actually biological. In addition to learning that some people with Parkinson’s have a harder time recognizing negative emotions, I’ve also learned that they may have a more difficult time experiencing empathy. Typically, this symptom is more prevalent in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s.
But the reality is that many of the things my dad experiences are difficult to quantify. I often find myself asking, “Is it old age, or is it Parkinson’s?” The same could be true of this idea, too: “Has Dad changed, or has Parkinson’s changed him?”
And the third factor could be me. How have I changed? And how has my perception of my dad changed throughout his Parkinson’s journey?
It’s impossible to say. But it is food for thought.
Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
About the Author
Leave a comment
Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published.