How Stress And Mind-Body Therapies Impact Parkinson’s Disease

Welcome to the Parkinson's Solution Summit 0:00

Hello, everyone, and welcome to The Parkinson's Solution Summit. 2.0. I'm your. Co-Host, Dr. Barbara Pickut. Today, together with your host. Dr. Ken Sharlin and the whole Doctor Talks team. Our goal is to pave the way for a healthier future and enhance the quality of life for those living with Parkinson's. Now, whether you're a patient, a caregiver, or someone seeking knowledge. This summit is designed to offer useful insights and hope for the. Future. Parkinson's impacts millions of people worldwide while its exact cause is remained elusive.

Growing body. Of research points to stress as a. Significant contributing factor. Today, we'll discuss the role of stress in Parkinson's.

Stress and Parkinson's Overview 1:01

And the promise of mind body therapies. I'll provide an introduction to the intricate relationship between. Stress and Parkinson's. And the role that mind body therapies may play in managing Parkinson's. There's growing evidence that people living with Parkinson's. Are highly sensitive. To the impact. Of psychological stress. The prevalence. Of stress related neuropsychiatric symptoms in. People with. Parkinson's is. Significant, with depression affecting between 30 and 40% and anxiety affecting between 25 and 30%.

When we encounter. Stress, our. Body initiates a complex biochemical. Cascade known as the biological stressor response. It involves. The release of stress. Hormones. Such as adrenaline and cortisol. Which affect multiple. Body systems, including the nervous system. Endocrine, and immune. Systems. This response is designed to protect us in the. Short term, but can become harmful when activated chronically. Perhaps you know that we have part of a. Nervous system that's. Called the autonomic. Nervous system.

It acts automatically to govern our body's involuntary functions. The autonomic. Nervous system is made up of two parts the sympathetic. And. The parasympathetic.

Autonomic Nervous System and Stress Response 2:34

The sympathetic is responsible for the stress response or survival response. And when called upon, prepares our body to. Respond to perceived threats. This response triggers. Physiological changes. Such as increased heart. Rate, heightened. Alertness. And a surge of adrenaline to equip us for immediate action. Whether to fight or flee. When the. Stressor. Is removed, our body activates. More of the parasympathetic nervous system known as the rest and digest system. This promotes. Relaxation. And recovery.

In summary, the autonomic. Nervous system manages our. Involuntary bodily functions and maintains a balance. Between the sympathetic system, which activates the body's fight or. Flight. Response, and the parasympathetic system. Which promotes. Rest and digest activities. So this is much like. A teeter totter where. Each side keeps the. Other in check. For individuals with. Parkinson's, a triggered sympathetic nervous system response can exacerbate symptoms such. As. Tremor, dyskinesia, or freezing of gait.

Then, having this happen, a cycle of more. Stress and tears and more symptom. Aggravation. This is. Reported by patients observed by clinicians and confirmed. In the scientific. Literature. When we're under chronic. Stress. Elevated levels. Of cortisol can. Have detrimental effects on our body and its good functioning. Cortisol is essential. For energy regulation and the body's. Response to stress. But when. It's consistently. High, levels can add to the what we call. Allostatic. Load to the body, which means add to the cumulative burden of.

Chronic stress. And life events on the body's. Physiological systems and this may lead. To a range of health. Issues. Including inflammation, impaired immune function.

Chronic Stress, Cortisol, and Disease Impact 4:38

And increased risk. Of chronic. Disease. In recent years. It's been there's been a renewed interest in understanding the interaction between. Stress and Parkinson. And it's generally accepted that when under acute stress. Symptoms may increase in some people with Parkinson's. Some contemporary studies suggest. However, that chronic. Physiological stress or psychological stress. May. Exacerbate. The neurodegenerative. Process. While the exact mechanisms remain an active area of research. There's a growing recognition that chronic.

Stress could. Potentially. Act as a risk. Modifier, influencing the onset and progression of Parkinson's. Because of this, emphasis is shifting toward using stress management as a. Non-Pharmacological therapeutic strategy to improve the quality in life and potentially slow disease progression. So what is the evidence. For these mind. Body. Practices? Mind body. Practices such as. Mindfulness. Based stress. Reduction, meditation and yoga. Breath work, heart rate variability training, tai chi, ballet and boxing for.

Parkinson's, for example. Have gained. Increased interest of researchers. Let's dive into some of these practices and. See what the evidence may be. A study published by researchers at. Harvard found that meditation can. Reduce the severity. Of motor and non-motor symptoms in people with. Parkinson's by. Promoting. Relaxation and reducing stress.

Mind-Body Therapies for Parkinson's 6:30

Meditation can may help modulate cortisol levels and improve overall well-being. Ours and others. Work published on mindfulness. Based. Interventions, and mindfulness. Based. Interventions include mindfulness meditation, mindful yoga. And the body scan. Have shown an improvement in quality of life and a positive impact. On some Parkinson's symptoms. Research on yoga, published in the Journal of Neurology. Neurosurgery and Psychiatry suggests that. Yoga may improve. Balance. Flexibility and quality of life in individuals living with.

Parkinson's. Tai chi has been an area of interest, and a publication from the University of Pittsburgh. Conducted a study. Showing that tai chi can improve. Postural. Stability. Reduce falls. In individuals with people with. Parkinson's. Heart rate variability training has been looked at, and published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and highlights the potential of heart rate variability and biofeedback in improving autonomic function and. Reducing stress in individuals with Parkinson's.

In the Journal of Neuro Rehabilitation and Neural Repair. there. Was a study. Published finding that. Dance, including. Ballet, could improve balance, mobility and quality of life in individuals with. Parkinson's. And then, regarding. Boxing for Parkinson's, some research. Has shown that non-contact. Boxing programs can. Be beneficial for people with Parkinson's, with improvements in agility, strength and coordination. All in all. In case studies and. Also in, people with. Parkinson's. Who've incorporated.

These practices into their daily routines. This, together with scientific. Research and experience in the clinic, These combined reports underscore the. Promise. Of mind body. Practices in Parkinson's disease. So if you could cut here, please. Just. Time out. we're going to go back to right after regarding, boxing for Parkinson's. So we said. And then regarding. Boxing for Parkinson's, research. Has shown that non-contact boxing programs may be beneficial for people with. Parkinson's. With improving agility, strength and coordination.

Evidence and Guidelines for Stress Management 9:19

Ongoing research continues to uncover the potential for. Benefits of. Integrating mind body. Practices. Into a comprehensive treatment plan for people with. Parkinson's. For example. The. National Center. For Complementary and Integrative Health supports. The use of. Meditation, yoga, and tai chi for improving the quality of life for individuals with. Parkinson's. Based on a review of various clinical studies, the Practice. Guidelines update of the American Academy of Neurology on non-pharmacological management of.

Parkinson's Disease emphasizes the. Inclusion. Of stress management stress. Management techniques in a therapeutic regimen for Parkinson's. Advocating for. A holistic approach. To treatment. So all in all. In case studies. In people with Parkinson's. Who've incorporated these practices into their. Daily routines have reported improvements of mood, function, motor function, and overall quality of life. These anecdotal reports combined with scientific research. Underscore the promise of mind body.

Therapies. In managing. Parkinson's disease. In conclusion, the link between. Stress and Parkinson's. Highlights the importance of managing. Stress to mitigate its impact on the. Brain, the body, and behavior. Mind body. Practices may.

Conclusion and Closing Remarks 10:51

Help people with Parkinson's develop internal. Resources and increased resilience in the face of Parkinson's. A holistic approach to reducing stress. In, and enhancing. Neuroplasticity. And improving the quality of life for people with. Parkinson's. Can be transformative. Dr. Ken Sharlin, the host of DrTalks, and I encourage you to explore the mind body. Practices we discussed with you. Today, and consider incorporating. Those that resonate. With you into your daily routine. Please enjoy the engaging and informative interviews we've curated in the DrTalks.

Parkinson's Solution Summit. 2.0. And remember, the journey toward a better health and well-being is deeply personal. And mind body. Practices. May be a powerful tool in navigating. This path. Thank you.