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Non‐verbal cues in the self‐presentation of Parkinsonian patients
Author(s) -
Pitcairn Thomas K.,
Clemie Susan,
Gray John M.,
Pentland Brian
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1990.tb00867.x
Subject(s) - psychology , basal ganglia , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , neuroscience , audiology , central nervous system , medicine
Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are seen as cold, withdrawn, unintelligent and moody, and appear to relate poorly to the interviewer (Pentland, Pitcairn, Gray & Riddle, 1987). The cues responsible for this are shown to be related not only to the type of limb and body movements made, but also particularly to the facial expressions. The expressions seen are not only reduced in frequency but are also qualitatively different, particularly in the smiles which are seen to be ‘false’ smiles. The implications of this for a treatment regime are discussed in relation to the neurology of the disease. It would seem that non‐verbal training methods may not produce the required effects because of the shift in neural pathway used from that which normally controls spontaneous expressive movements (via the basal ganglia) to that used in voluntary movements.