Lindsey Clark

Date

5-13-2014

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder with a prevalence rate ranging from 31 to 201 per 100,000 individuals. PD primarily affects individuals over the age of 65 years. Recently, researchers have recognized the importance that cognitive and other non-motor type deficits play in the lives of PD patients. Some speculate that PD patients even exhibit changes in certain personality traits. It is currently unclear, however, how these personality traits might relate to cognitive deficits and even disease severity. The current study examined this issue by administering a personality assessment and several cognitive (frontal-lobe) assessments to 27 non-demented PD participants and 23 normal control participants, matched on age and education. In contrast to previous literature, results revealed very few cognitive and personality differences between groups, and no significant relation between cognition, personality, and disease severity in the PD group. A biased PD sample may be responsible for this difference in findings. By examining the non-motor type deficits in PD, intervention strategies may be eventually developed that are aimed at improving the quality of life of these patients.

Department

Psychology

Thesis Comittee

Sandra Neargarder (Thesis Director)

Melissa Singer

Michelle Mamberg

Copyright and Permissions

Original document was submitted as an Honors Program requirement. Copyright is held by the author.

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