About this Research Topic
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multisystemic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a variety of motor and nonmotor symptoms. The classical motor symptoms include bradykinesia, resting tremors, and rigidity, which usually respond well to medication. However, some motor symptoms are resistant to medication including speech problems, postural instability, gait problems and falls. The range of nonmotor symptoms include cognitive, psychiatric, gastrointestinal, autonomic, sleep, and sensory problems and are an important source of disability.
The management of PD has traditionally been provided in a “monodisciplinary” approach, where only one medical discipline (in this case a physician with or without specialized training in PD) provided care for patients. This traditional approach typically utilizing pharmacological treatments is effective for reducing patient motor symptoms specially in the early stages of the disease. However, as the disease progresses, this approach is insufficient to tackle the entire range of motor and nonmotor symptoms. Moreover, pharmacological therapies may sometimes worsen nonmotor symptoms and may cause drug-induced complications.
Growing evidence has shown that a high burden of nonmotor features could be expected during early stages of PD. With the negative impact of the nonmotor symptoms on a patient’s quality of life even at early stages of the disease and the appearance of medication-resistant motor symptoms, the need to manage patients with a “multidisciplinary” approach, gathering healthcare professionals from different disciplines, is vital to achieving safe and effective care. In a multidisciplinary approach, each team member analyzes the patient from their own perspective and together the team makes group decisions about patient care. The neurologist optimizes treatment to reduce symptoms, the allied health care team aim to minimize the impact of the disease process and improve the patient’s participation in everyday activities. The effectiveness of this approach relies on the participation of the patient and caregiver in this multidisciplinary team.
This Research Topic aims to show the latest advances in the management of nonmotor symptoms present in the early stages of the disease using a multidisciplinary approach. We welcome all types of submissions related to the topic including Original Articles and Case Reports. We also invite authors to submit review articles to describe the state of a multidisciplinary treatment in PD.
We expect to receive articles related, but not limited to, the following disciplines:
- Physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- Nutrition
- Psychiatry
- Geriatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Autonomic dysfunction
- Oral care
- Sleep disorders
- Role of patients and caregivers
Keywords: Multidisciplinary care, Interdisciplinary care, Teamwork, Parkinson Group therapy, Integrative care
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
