Brain-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease depends on which side of body affected first, study suggests
Researchers from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland said information from the study's findings can be factored into treatment plans based on a patient's disease profile.
Onset of the ageing-related neurological disorder is known to initially impact only one side of the body, with tremors, rigid muscles and a slow movement presenting as 'motor symptoms'. Non-motor symptoms include sleep problems, depression and cognitive changes.
The study, published in the journal 'npj Parkinson's Disease', found that motor symptoms affecting the body's right side are linked to a more pronounced cognitive decline, while those affecting the left associated with psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
The researchers analysed 80 studies published over the past five decades until April 2025, looking to extract information such as disease duration, initial symptoms in and treatments taken by patients, along with data on psychiatric assessments.
"Patients with right-sided motor symptoms show more (overall) cognitive decline and higher dementia risk, while those with left-sided symptoms more often experience psychiatric issues like depression, anxiety, and impaired emotional recognition," the authors wrote.
First author Philippe Voruz, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva, said, "Taking this factor into account would allow for real anticipation and guide patients towards targeted therapies based on their specific Parkinsonian profile."
They said the study is the first to show that the body's side on which the first symptoms appear influences not only motor disorders but also the cognitive and emotional manifestations of the disease.
The authors added that while findings across the studies reviewed were varied, brain lateralisation -- whether the right hemisphere is affected or the left -- is relevant to assessing non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
However, inconsistencies in the studies' methods limited the authors from drawing meta-analytic conclusions, they said.>
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Brain-related symptoms of Parkinson's disease depends on which side of body affected first, study suggests
New Delhi: The side of the body that Parkinson's disease affects initially -- right or left -- could help predict whether a patient might experience cognitive decline or psychiatric symptoms as the condition advances, a study has suggested. Researchers from the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland said information from the study's findings can be factored into treatment plans based on a patient's disease profile. Onset of the ageing-related neurological disorder is known to initially impact only one side of the body, with tremors, rigid muscles and a slow movement presenting as 'motor symptoms'. Non-motor symptoms include sleep problems, depression and cognitive changes. The study, published in the journal 'npj Parkinson's Disease', found that motor symptoms affecting the body's right side are linked to a more pronounced cognitive decline, while those affecting the left associated with psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression. The researchers analysed 80 studies published over the past five decades until April 2025, looking to extract information such as disease duration, initial symptoms in and treatments taken by patients, along with data on psychiatric assessments. "Patients with right-sided motor symptoms show more (overall) cognitive decline and higher dementia risk, while those with left-sided symptoms more often experience psychiatric issues like depression, anxiety, and impaired emotional recognition," the authors wrote. First author Philippe Voruz, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva, said, "Taking this factor into account would allow for real anticipation and guide patients towards targeted therapies based on their specific Parkinsonian profile." They said the study is the first to show that the body's side on which the first symptoms appear influences not only motor disorders but also the cognitive and emotional manifestations of the disease. The authors added that while findings across the studies reviewed were varied, brain lateralisation -- whether the right hemisphere is affected or the left -- is relevant to assessing non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, inconsistencies in the studies' methods limited the authors from drawing meta-analytic conclusions, they said.>
