More Apps for Parkinson’s coming soon!
Is there a profile for the person who gets Parkinson’s disease (PD)? It’s a question that I have put to some of America’s top Neurologists (not scientifically) and as expected some say that there may be a certain personality type and some say that there is no evidence for any type of profile. What if , just maybe, Science is missing a large component of the causal mystery of PD and that cause is even more than the suspect of genes and environmental toxins?
Having had PD for close to 25 years, I have met and spoken to several hundreds if not thousands about PD and their symptoms. Here is a discovery that I have made and loosely base what I see as a potential profile for many of the people that I have met with PD:
- People with Parkinson’s are consistently kind, sensitive, and compassionate.
- People with Parkinson’s are achievers, driven, well-educated and well-informed.
- People with Parkinson’s are problem-solvers, artists, creative, and people of innovation.
As much as I abhor labeling and profiling, maybe there is someting to this. I’m not a scientist, doctor,or anthropologist, but I can’t discount my observations and experiences. What do you think? Please subscribe, comment, and share if you like my blog. Thanks.
My Mum had MSA and I spent a few years involved in the UK Parkinson’s Society.
I wouldn’t want to say with any scientific certainty but I’d broadly agree with you on the profile of people with PD – although I’d wonder what was cause and effect.
“People with Parkinson’s are consistently kind, sensitive, and compassionate” – yes, although I suspect there’s something about having a really serious disease which makes you a kinder person!
“People with Parkinson’s are achievers, driven, well-educated and well-informed.” – I think that might be sampling bias. The people with Parkinson’s who you meet might be such, but I suspect it is those qualities which cause them to get out and meet people, and the people who aren’t like that are at home with Parkinson’s and you won’t get to meet them…
“People with Parkinson’s are problem-solvers, artists, creative, and people of innovation.” – I’ve met both. I’ve met some stunningly smart people who have made real progress in managing their condition. I’ve also met some people who haven’t.
Haven’t said all of that… I think your comments are more right than wrong, but I don’t know how you’d ever go about putting some scientific rigour into it.