Making the Connection Between Brain and Behavior: Coping with Parkinson's Disease

by Joseph Friedman MD

Overview

Fully Revised and Updated

The only complete and up-to-date book addressing the most common behavioral symptoms of ParkinsonÌs Disease (PD), including depression, anxiety, hallucinations, disrupted sleep, and compulsive behavior.

When people think about PD they usually picture tremor, shuffling, and other physical changes. But as many as 90% of all ParkinsonÌs patients also live with behavioral symptoms that few families are prepared to handle. In this fully revised and updated edition of Making the Connection Between Brain and Behavior, Dr. Joseph H. Friedman, a leading expert in PD, explains the most common behavioral issues in down-to-earth, straightforward language, offers the most current research on available therapies and medications, and provides guidance on ways to communicate with your healthcare team for effective treatment.

Now, fully updated and revised throughout and including three new chapters and two new appendices, Making the Connection Between Brain and Behavior includes even more information on a variety of treatment options, including Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). It is an essential resource for every person with PD and his or her family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781936303533
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	07/23/2013
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Joseph Friedman, MD, is Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Butler Hospital; Professor and Chief, Division of Movement Disorders, at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Adjunct Professor in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island; and Clinical Director of the American Parkinson's Disease Association Information and Referral Center in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Introduction to the First Edition
Introduction to the Second Edition
Chapter 1. Overview
Chapter 2. Personality
Chapter 3. Fatigue
Chapter 4. Apathy
Chapter 5. Depression
Chapter 6. Anxiety
Chapter 7. Dementia
Chapter 8. Hallucinations
Chapter 9. Delusions
Chapter 10. Confusion and Delirium
Chapter 11. Compulsive Behavior
Chapter 12. Sleep
Chapter 13. Surgery for Parkinson's Disease
Chapter 14. Driving
Chapter 15. Caregivers and Family
Chapter 16. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
Chapter 17. Misperception
Chapter 18. Placebo
Appendix A: Winning the Battle but Losing the War: Many Silver Linings Are in Clouds
Appendix B: Chemical imbalance or Moral Weakness?: Personal Responsibility in a Time of Brain Science
Appendix C: Urban Myth: L-Dopa Stops Working in Five Years
Appendix D: Staging Parkinsonís Disease
Appendix E: Thereís Only One Reason to Nag
Appendix F: Why You Should Not Go to the Emergency Department (And Why You Should!)
Glossary
Index

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Making the Connection Between Brain and Behavior:

"An excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about the complex patterns of persons with Parkinson's disease.” — Midwest Book Review

"Dr. Joseph Friedman has a pleasing, conversational writing style and he communicates complex medical issues with ease... He is the rare physician who is able to put himself in the patient's shoes." — Doody's Reviews

“Dr. Friedman masterfully dovetails his own insights and practical approaches on behavioral issues in PD with the current scientific evidence. This authoritatively written yet refreshing book assures the patient, guides the caregiver, and enlightens the clinician in the often unpredictable journey of Parkinson's. It is a must-read for all whose lives are touched by this illness." — Dr. Hubert H. Fernandez, daily columnist, Ask the Doctor, National Parkinson Foundation

“Dr. Friedman mixes knowledge and understanding with clinical vignettes to illuminate the dark interface between brain and behavior. As you read these pages, you can almost hear him talking to his patients.” — Dr. Lewis Sudarsky, Director of Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Lisa M. Shulman, MD (University of Maryland School of Medicine)
Description: The last 15 years have been characterized by escalating interest and research in the so-called "nonmotor" symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Nonmotor symptoms including depression, sleep disturbance, and cognitive problems previously took a back seat to the well known motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as bradykinesia, gait impairment, and tremor. This book, written by a well known expert and researcher on nonmotor symptoms, is evidence of the rising prominence of psychiatric and behavioral issues among patients and physicians.
Purpose: The purpose is to educate patients and family members about the relationship between Parkinson's disease and behavior. These important objectives are achieved.
Audience: The book is written for lay readers, primarily people with Parkinson's disease and their families.
Features: The author, Dr. Joseph Friedman, has a pleasing, conversational writing style and he communicates complex medical issues with ease. Patient vignettes, examples, and tables are used effectively to illuminate the material and improve understanding. Dr. Friedman distills complicated and controversial medical issues into easily digestible discussions. He is the rare physician who is able to put himself in the patient's shoes, with discussions of common concerns that hit just the right tone. Another successful strategy is a brief paragraph at the beginning of each chapter, summarizing each topic. It is fair to say that the narrow focus of a book on behavioral issues is not for everyone. The average reader is likely to be looking for a book that gives the big picture, and most general books on Parkinson's disease include chapters with good discussions of behavioral issues. At times, long wordy passages are devoted to relatively narrow topics such as the "Parkinson's personality." Unfamiliar medical terminology, such as "clinical fluctuations" or "deep brain stimulation," slip into the text, sending most readers to the glossary, where some, but not all of these uncommon phrases will be found. Some chapters, such as those on driving, caregivers and family, and "Why You Should Not Go to the Emergency Department" are important, but quite a stretch from the book's subject of brain and behavior.
Assessment: Nonetheless, if you have special interest in the interactions between Parkinson's disease and behavior, you will enjoy this book. Dr. Friedman reveals to readers how doctors think in an enjoyable and easy to understand format.

Doody's Review Service