Parkinson’s rehab program may sharpen thinking skills and lift mood
PD-CoRE improves memory, problem-solving, and depression in small study
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- Parkinson's disease often causes nonmotor symptoms such as cognitive decline, memory loss, impaired problem-solving, and depression.
- The PD-CoRE rehabilitation program utilizes structured group sessions to teach practical problem-solving strategies and coping mechanisms.
- Participants showed significant improvements in global cognition and practical judgment, and a reduction in depression severity after the intervention.
A rehabilitation program called PD-CoRE was shown to help adults with Parkinson’s disease improve their cognitive function and lessen symptoms of depression in a recent study.
The program uses group sessions to teach practical problem-solving strategies, giving participants tools to manage the daily cognitive challenges that often accompany the neurodegenerative condition.
“PD-CoRE appears to be a promising intervention for enhancing cognitive functioning and aspects of well-being in individuals with [Parkinson’s],” researchers wrote, calling for more studies to further validate and refine the program.
The study, “Parkinson’s disease cognitive rehabilitation of executive functioning (PD-CoRE): A community-based intervention study,” was published in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders.
Retraining the brain
Cognitive issues such as difficulties with memory and executive function (the brain’s ability to plan, focus, and manage daily tasks) are common nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. While cognitive rehabilitation aims to retrain the brain, previous research on its effectiveness in Parkinson’s has yielded mixed results.
“These inconsistencies highlight the need for individualized, targeted, and empirically supported interventions to address clinically meaningful cognitive dysfunction in [Parkinson’s disease],” the researchers wrote.
To address these inconsistencies, researchers evaluated the impact of PD-CoRE on 45 adults with Parkinson’s. This expands on a previously published study that described its development and included 15 participants.
PD-CoRE — short for Parkinson’s disease cognitive rehabilitation of executive functioning — is a cognitive rehabilitation program that was developed specifically for people with Parkinson’s. The program involves seven sessions done in groups, with participants trained in problem-solving and strategies that can help them compensate for Parkinson’s-related issues.
Before and after completing the program, participants took standard tests measuring cognition, problem-solving, and self-reported quality of life.
Results showed improvements on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a standardized measure of cognition. Scores on a test of problem-solving called the Test of Practical Judgement also improved, as did patient-reported depression symptoms. These gains reached statistical significance, meaning the improvements were strong enough that they were highly unlikely to be the result of random chance.
Participants also showed positive trends in self-efficacy (their confidence in managing daily challenges) and overall life satisfaction. However, these changes were not statistically significant, meaning the researchers cannot rule out normal variation in scores.
“The present study evaluated the effectiveness of PD-CoRE, a structured cognitive rehabilitation program, in improving cognitive and psychosocial functioning among adults with [Parkinson’s],” the researchers concluded. “Findings demonstrated significant improvements in global cognition and practical judgment following intervention, along with reduced depressive symptom severity. Self-efficacy and life satisfaction showed nonsignificant positive trends.”
Age also played a role in how well participants responded to the training. Statistical analysis revealed that younger patients generally experienced greater cognitive improvements than older participants.
This difference “may reflect age-related differences in neuroplasticity [the brain’s ability to rewire itself], processing speed, and responsiveness to strategy-based interventions,” the researchers wrote.
The fact that the intervention was less effective in older individuals suggests that there is room to improve PD-CoRE to tailor the program to each person’s needs.
“Future research should explore mechanisms of change, refine psychosocial outcome measures, and investigate strategies for tailoring interventions to individual profiles,” they wrote.
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