Effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques on cognitive and motor function in patients of parkinson disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Although it is a disease characterized by motor symptoms in general, non-motor symptoms are also common. Of these symptoms, cognitive dysfunction is mild in the early stages of Parkinson's disease and may lead to the development of dementia later. However, impaired executive functions may be associated with impaired mobility, leading to an increase in the number of falls in Parkinson's patients and reduced quality of life. Shortening of the walking distance and balance disorders pave the way for inactive life for Parkinson's patients. For this reason, we included 10 patients with PD who were treated with Proprioseptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) exercises in Torbali Devlet Hastanesi Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Unit and 5 of them were in the case group and 5 of them were in the control group. The patients were evaluated with Functional Independence Scale (FIM), Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MOCA) and Standardized Mini Mental Test (SMMT) at the beginning of the treatment and at the end of the 15th session. Results were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. As a result, the total scores of all tests, MOCA naming, SMMT recall and FIM social perception, displacement datas, increased independent of PNF exercises between pre-test and post-test. Gender, group and group-sex interactions were determined in the differences in FIM total scores. Keywords; Cognition; PNF; Parkinson disease; exercise