Gender and functional status influence on emotional well-being in Parkinson’s disease: insights from a cross-sectional study

Background: Emotional well-being is a critical yet often overlooked component in the management of Parkinson’s disease (PD), despite its profound impact on perception, decision-making, and social interactions. Previous studies have highlighted factors such as music therapy, social support, and motor symptom severity that influence emotions in PD. Gender has been shown to affect emotional expression, with women generally displaying greater emotional expressiveness than men. However, the interaction between gender and emotional well-being in PD remains underexplored, warranting further investigation. Objective: To investigate the relationship between gender and emotional states in PD patients, exploring potential predictors of positive affect within this population. Method: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 individuals with PD, assessing positive and negative affect using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected, and statistical analyses were performed to identify associations and predictive factors. Results: Overall, no significant differences in affect were observed between male and female PD patients. However, male patients with higher functional status were predicted to exhibit greater positive affect. PANAS scores in our cohort were higher compared to previous studies, suggesting potential cultural or environmental influences on emotional outcomes. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the importance of considering functional status in understanding emotional well-being in PD patients. Tailored interventions targeting functional improvement may positively impact emotional health in this population. Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between gender, functional status, and emotional states in PD.