Australian university looking for research volunteers who have Parkinson’s disease
June 29, 2012
Scientists from Curtin University are conducting an experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) among individuals who have anxiety and depression that are comorbid with Parkinson's disease.
About 75 percent of individuals who have Parkinson's disease will develop mood disorders. These conditions, in turn, may potentially aggravate motor symptoms and lead to a faster rate of cognitive decline.
CBT may help address these issues in a way that rectifies negative patterns of thinking without the use of medication.
"Our clinical trial has been running over the past 12 months and the initial results are very positive. However, we still need more volunteers to take part in order to get a clear picture of the CBT program's effectiveness," said Ph.D. student Lakkhina Troeung.
Sarah Egan, the supervisor of the study, hopes that this program will help improve the quality of life for patients who live with Parkinson's disease.
The CBT platform she developed involves eight weekly CBT sessions run by two clinical psychologist trainees, who are supervised by a registered clinical psychologist. Participants will engage in discussions and activities that specifically address issues surrounding Parkinson's disease.
Results of the study will be published in a future thesis.
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