For Women's History Month, a columnist explores the gaps

Written by Mary Beth Skylis | March 19, 2026

Women’s History Month, celebrated each March, originated in 1978 when an educational task force in Santa Rosa, California, set out to highlight women’s contributions to society. This month also serves as a time for reflection on persistent issues such as the exclusion of women from textbooks and research. Historically, women have been overlooked and marginalized in scientific research, a pattern that regrettably continues in many fields, including Parkinson’s research.

While much of my column focuses on my dad’s experience with Parkinson’s disease, I want to take a moment to highlight some of the unique challenges faced by women living with Parkinson’s disease today.

In exploring the differences men and women encounter while navigating Parkinson’s, I discovered that women with the disease are misdiagnosed more frequently than men. One contributing factor is that Parkinson’s symptoms often manifest differently in women, who are more likely to experience non-motor symptoms. Furthermore, because much of Parkinson’s research has historically focused on men, emerging symptoms in women can be harder to recognize and diagnose.

Last updated Nov. 4, 2025, by Elena Schmidt

Fact-checked by Patrícia Silva, PhD

Staying connected with Parkinson’s disease can feel challenging due to symptoms that impact your ability to self-express, engage, and relate to others. Low mood and social stigma can drive you even further from your peers.

The impulse to isolate with Parkinson’s is normal. But socializing is essential for your health and quality of life, even when you don’t feel like it.

Parkinson’s connection involves building a social life into your daily routine and seeking activities and people that bring joy and safety.

The importance of socializing with Parkinson’s

Socializing is a core part of being human. Researchers describe connectedness as a “social prescription” because it strengthens resilience, provides meaning, and contributes to healthy aging.

When you engage with others, you give your mind and body the stimulation you need to thrive. Social interaction benefits you by providing:

• emotional support that eases loneliness, anxiety, and depression
• cognitive stimulation that helps memory, attention, and problem-solving
• physical activity through group exercise, dance, or active outings
• shared experiences and strategies for managing Parkinson’s
• stronger support systems that also benefit caregivers and loved ones

Difficulties socializing with Parkinson’s

Some of the Parkinson’s connection challenges come directly from the social symptoms that arise from the neurodegenerative condition. Difficulties relating to others may be tied to how people respond to you.

Facial masking

One common social issue with Parkinson’s is facial masking. You may feel joy, sadness, or excitement, but Parkinson’s may not allow your face to show it.

When smiles or laughter don’t come through clearly, people might mistake you for being cold or withdrawn. That misunderstanding can leave you feeling left out, even when you want to connect.

Speech and communication challenges

Changes in speech can also get in the way of a healthy social life. Parkinson’s may cause your voice to become softer, more monotone, or harder to understand.

You may experience dysarthria, which makes speech sound slurred, uneven, or flat. While you know exactly what you want to say, people don’t catch your words. This can make conversations frustrating and discouraging.

Motor issues

Beyond communication, motor symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, or fatigue can make social activities harder to manage. Something as simple as eating in public or keeping up with friends on a walk may feel uncomfortable, which can lead you to turn down invitations.

Parkinson’s mental health challenges

On top of these changes, low mood and depression often overlap with Parkinson’s.

Feeling less motivated or more anxious about social interactions can cause you to withdraw. The more you avoid social contact, the easier it is to slip into depression, which makes the cycle even harder to break.

Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.D. - Written by Hope Gillette on January 20, 2026

Key takeaways

• Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, as well as cognitive changes, are common in advanced Parkinson’s disease, affecting a significant majority of individuals.
• Several factors can contribute to mental health challenges, such as changes in brain chemistry, medication effects, reduced independence, caregiver strain, and social isolation.
• Various support options are available, including helplines, support groups, therapy, education, and focusing on general health. These support options can help individuals with advanced Parkinson’s and their caregivers navigate mental health concerns.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive condition that affects the nervous system. While it’s best-known for causing movement-related symptoms, Parkinson’s can also affect areas of the brain involved in mood, sleep, attention, and learning.

Parkinson’s changes how certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), such as dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin, work. As levels of these chemicals decrease, movement may become slower or more difficult, and symptoms like tremors, muscle stiffness, and balance issues can appear.

Movement changes are often the most visible signs of Parkinson’s, but the condition affects much more than motor function.

Some people, especially in later stages of the disease, also experience emotional and cognitive challenges that can affect daily life and overall well-being.

How common are mental health conditions in advanced Parkinson's disease?

Mental health conditions are common among people living with advanced Parkinson’s disease.

A 2024 review notes that an estimated 70% to 89% of people living with advanced Parkinson’s disease experience at least one mental health condition, including depression, apathy, or psychosis.

Depression and anxiety are among the most common mood-related health conditions in Parkinson’s. A 2023 review found that up to 60% of people with advanced Parkinson’s experience symptoms of depression.

Cognitive changes, while not considered a mental health condition, are also common in Parkinson’s disease.

According to the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), about 25% of people experience mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can involve noticeable changes in memory and thinking. For some people, these changes may appear earlier in the course of the disease.

Cedars-Sinai program shows app may prompt earlier care decisions

Written by Andrea Lobo | March 16, 2026

• Kneu Health’s smartphone platform enables ongoing monitoring of Parkinson’s symptoms between clinic visits.
• The app tracks movement, speech, cognitive function, and nonmotor symptoms such as sleep.
• Clinicians reported the platform helped identify the need for earlier intervention and more personalized care planning.

The integration of Kneu Health’s smartphone-based platform into Cedars-Sinai’s Parkinson’s care program enabled ongoing symptom monitoring and revealed the need for earlier intervention in 79% of encounters.

According to the company, clinicians reported that the added insight helped care teams monitor treatment responses and inform more timely, personalized care adjustments for people with Parkinson’s disease.

The platform was used daily by 104 people with Parkinson’s as part of their routine care. Over six months, it captured more than 46,000 measures of movement, speech, and cognitive function. The results also showed that clinicians reported a deeper understanding of disease progression in 93% of encounters.

Why tracking symptoms between visits is important in Parkinson’s

“As Parkinson’s populations grow and clinical complexity increases, clinicians will need reliable visibility into how patients are progressing over time,” Caroline Cake, co-founder and CEO of Kneu Health, said in a company press release. “This collaboration with Cedars-Sinai shows that leading academic programs are ready to evolve how chronic neurological disease is managed,” and “is demonstrating that this kind of model can operate within established specialty practice and deliver meaningful clinical impact.”

Parkinson’s is caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons — nerve cells that produce dopamine, a signaling molecule involved in motor control. This loss leads to motor symptoms such as tremor, slowed movement, and balance and gait problems, as well as nonmotor symptoms including speech and cognitive difficulties.

These symptoms often fluctuate from day to day, making consistent monitoring important for clinicians trying to track disease progression and intervene earlier when needed. However, traditional clinic visits capture symptoms only at specific moments in time and are often spaced several months apart, meaning care adjustments may happen only after symptoms worsen significantly.

Last updated Nov. 4, 2025, by Elena Schmidt

Fact-checked by Patrícia Silva, PhD

Staying connected with Parkinson’s disease can feel challenging due to symptoms that impact your ability to self-express, engage, and relate to others. Low mood and social stigma can drive you even further from your peers.

The impulse to isolate with Parkinson’s is normal. But socializing is essential for your health and quality of life, even when you don’t feel like it.

Parkinson’s connection involves building a social life into your daily routine and seeking activities and people that bring joy and safety.

The importance of socializing with Parkinson’s

Socializing is a core part of being human. Researchers describe connectedness as a “social prescription” because it strengthens resilience, provides meaning, and contributes to healthy aging.

When you engage with others, you give your mind and body the stimulation you need to thrive. Social interaction benefits you by providing:

• emotional support that eases loneliness, anxiety, and depression
• cognitive stimulation that helps memory, attention, and problem-solving
• physical activity through group exercise, dance, or active outings
• shared experiences and strategies for managing Parkinson’s
• stronger support systems that also benefit caregivers and loved ones

Difficulties socializing with Parkinson’s

Some of the Parkinson’s connection challenges come directly from the social symptoms that arise from the neurodegenerative condition. Difficulties relating to others may be tied to how people respond to you.

Facial masking

One common social issue with Parkinson’s is facial masking. You may feel joy, sadness, or excitement, but Parkinson’s may not allow your face to show it.

When smiles or laughter don’t come through clearly, people might mistake you for being cold or withdrawn. That misunderstanding can leave you feeling left out, even when you want to connect.