{"id":378232,"date":"2026-04-02T12:19:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/378232\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:19:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:19:12","slug":"more-than-a-tremor-how-parkinsons-disease-affects-womens-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/378232\/","title":{"rendered":"More than a tremor \u2013 how Parkinson\u2019s disease affects women\u2019s mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

Understanding the psychological impacts of Parkinson\u2019s is the aim of a new study that is looking to speak to women in Ireland with the disease, writes Michael McHale<\/p>\n

When people think of Parkinson\u2019s disease, the motor symptoms \u2013 tremor, stiffness, slow movement \u2013 are often the first to come to mind. But what are less acknowledged are the psychological impacts of the disease \u2013 perhaps, in part, because they are more likely to be present in women, who are a minority among people with Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n

While men are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition, studies have highlighted higher incidence among women in the 50-54 age category.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s very interesting evidence that shows that there\u2019s a higher prevalence of the non-motor symptoms in women experiencing Parkinson\u2019s than men,\u201d said Dr Fiadhnait O\u2019Keeffe, chartered clinical neuropsychologist and senior lecturer in UCC. \u201cWe\u2019re already looking at things like there\u2019s higher rates of anxiety, depression, social isolation, social withdrawal and stigma in women with Parkinson\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite these differences, there are few studies that explore in-depth the lived experiences of women with the disease. Dr O\u2019Keeffe and colleagues in UCC\u2019s Parkinson\u2019s Disease Research Cluster (PDRC) hope to help change that with a new project.<\/p>\n

While men are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition, studies have highlighted higher incidence among women in the 50-54 age category<\/p>\n

The team is currently recruiting women with Parkinson\u2019s for a study focused on their psychological well-being. Participants will be asked to complete an eligibility survey before being chosen for a one-to-one interview.<\/p>\n

During the interview women will be given the opportunity to discuss the emotional experience of living with Parkinson\u2019s, covering the trajectory of the diagnosis and investigating areas such as healthcare access, coping with symptoms, and the disease\u2019s impact from a gender perspective.<\/p>\n

Lecturer in the UCC Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation Dr Emma O\u2019Shea, and psychologist in clinical training, Eibhl\u00edn Toomey, are involved with the study being led by Dr O\u2019Keeffe.<\/p>\n

In order to ensure that findings relate as closely as possible to Parkinson\u2019s disease, women with other neurological or severe physical or mental health conditions will be excluded from the study.
According to Dr O\u2019Keeffe, societal gender differences can shape women\u2019s experience with Parkinson\u2019s, particularly in how they cope with symptoms and navigate healthcare systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, women have a quite significantly increased likelihood of nursing home admission due to their Parkinson\u2019s compared to men, and an earlier admission to nursing homes,\u201d she told IMT.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a few different angles to this. Some of it is that there\u2019s other evidence to show that women lack spousal or caregiver support. Often, they don\u2019t have a caregiver at home and they\u2019re living alone. This compares to only about two per cent of men in one study who were in a similar living situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a wider area that\u2019s looking at the hormonal impact and biological differences in why women with Parkinson\u2019s might experience different aspects of the symptoms differently.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in this study my doctorate student Eibhl\u00edn Toomey is focusing specifically on psychological well-being and really looking at that lived experience of women with Parkinson\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is hope that, by documenting these lived experiences, a deeper understanding of what it is like to navigate a Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis as a women can be attained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe anticipate that the findings will help inform recommendations around sensitive healthcare models,\u201d said Dr O\u2019Keeffe. \u201cThat includes prioritising mental health support for people with Parkinson\u2019s in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the evidence of higher rates of depression and anxiety among women with the condition, she would also like to see greater emphasis on non-motor symptoms, particularly in terms of screening and early intervention strategies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea is to have a more inclusive and responsive healthcare pathways that not just address the gender disparities that we see in Parkinson\u2019s but highlight the key mental health and quality-of-life aspects that we know from broader Parkinson\u2019s research.<\/p>\n

While this study will look at the experiences of women across all ages, it is hoped that future research will how Parkinson\u2019s affects women at different ages, particular when it is diagnosed at young onset.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are anticipating, based on the current evidence, that there will be a difference in the psychological and emotional well-being that women with Parkinson\u2019s are experiencing. The next question that we\u2019re going to be answering, hopefully, in further research is how or why that might vary across the lifespan according to age.\u201d<\/p>\n

The non-motor symptoms of Parkinson\u2019s will also form part of the work of PD Life, the first all-island research hub for Parkinson\u2019s disease in Ireland.<\/p>\n

With the disease affecting more than 19,000 people across the island \u2013 and with case numbers expected to double by 2050 \u2013 PD Life will bring together almost 50 collaborators to work on ways to enhance the well-being and quality of life for people living with Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The research hub is led by Prof Suzanne Timmons, head of the centre for gerontology and rehabilitation in UCC\u2019s School of Medicine. It will build on existing research skills and knowledge across three linked projects, shaped by priorities for people with Parkinson\u2019s:<\/p>\n

Stigma \u2013 looking at how facial expression and speech problems affect others\u2019 opinions.
\nMental Health \u2013 looking at unmet needs, how people cope, and how it affects healthy-living choices.
\nPhysical Activity \u2013 helping people with PD to start and continue exercise and dance, and examining how this affects health.<\/p>\n

Last year PD Life received \u20ac4 million in funding through the North-South Research Programme run by the Higher Education Authority.<\/p>\n

The PD research hub will bring together researchers from six third-level institutions and research institutes (UCC, Tyndall National Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Queen\u2019s University Belfast and the University of Ulster), healthcare partners, and PD support organisations such as Parkinson\u2019s Ireland and the Parkinson\u2019s UK Northern Ireland branch.<\/p>\n

Information on Dr O\u2019Keeffe\u2019s study, and how to take part is available on the website of Parkinson\u2019s Ireland (parkinsons.ie<\/a>).<\/p>\n

In April the charity will celebrate Parkinson\u2019s Awareness Month, an opportunity to inform the public of the progressive neurological disorder that affects more than 10 million people worldwide.<\/p>\n

To mark the month, Parkinson\u2019s Ireland will host a series of walks in 20 locations around the country on Saturday, April 11.<\/p>\n

\u2018A Walk in the Park for Parkinson\u2019s\u2019 aims to raise vital funds for the charity\u2019s services, which include a freephone Parkinson\u2019s nurse helpline, online advice webinars and local in-person exercise classes and support groups. To view where the walks will take place and register to take part, see \u00a0www.walkinthepark.ie<\/a>. \"\"\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Understanding the psychological impacts of Parkinson\u2019s is the aim of a new study that is looking to speak…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378233,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[22119,169209,103,61,60,6458,3262,169210],"class_list":{"0":"post-378232","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-elderly","9":"tag-gerentology","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-neurology","14":"tag-parkinsons-disease","15":"tag-ucc-school-of-medicine"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}