Testing two new rating scales for hidden Parkinson's symptoms

Researchers are testing two new questionnaires — one to measure emotional and mood changes that come and go with medication (called the Neuropsychiatric Fluctuations Scale), and another to measure feelings of shame or embarrassment related to Parkinson's disease (called the Shame in Parkinson's Disease Scale). These questionnaires are being validated across six European countries to see if they reliably capture symptoms that current rating tools miss.

People with Parkinson's disease often experience emotional and psychological symptoms that doctors don't always recognize or ask about — like shame about losing independence, embarrassment about body changes, or mood swings linked to when medications wear off. Creating better tools to measure these hidden symptoms will help doctors understand how Parkinson's truly affects quality of life and provide better support.