SOCIAL-INTERACTION AND SYMPTOM SEQUENCES - A CASE-STUDY OF OROFACIAL BRADYKINESIA EXACERBATION IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE DURING NEGATIVE MARITAL INTERACTION

EVIDENCE is rapidly accumulating that disease symptoms are influenced by psychological factors, and most potently, by familial relationships . This case study demonstrated the detrimental influence of negative m arital interaction on orofacial bradykinesia and speech productivity i n a 74 year old male Parkinson's disease patient. An increase in brady kinesia symptoms followed a series of specific negative comments by th e wife during a conversation; these symptoms showed partial reversal d uring a subsequent conversation with a lab assistant. The analytic met hod and data summary strategies used to determine this relationship ar e discussed relative to their possible utility for other disorders.