Anxiety Linked to Greater Pain in Parkinson's
In a study of 100 patients, higher anxiety tracked with more pain, suggesting mood deserves attention in Parkinson's care.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Alzheimer’s
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Would you feel comfortable discussing anxiety with your doctor if you had chronic pain?
A cross-sectional study of 100 people with Parkinson's disease found that higher anxiety severity was consistently associated with greater pain. The findings were presented at the 151st Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association, and the association is relevant to people living with Parkinson's and the clinicians who treat them.
Why it matters
Pain is a common and under-recognized part of Parkinson's disease, and this study points to anxiety as a factor worth considering alongside physical symptoms. Because mental illness carries stigma in many parts of the world, some patients may avoid seeking psychiatric care, so recognizing this link may help open conversations about treatment.
This cross-sectional, single-center study enrolled 100 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease aged 45 to 86 and measured anxiety with the GAD-7 and pain with the King's PD Pain Scale. Anxiety severity showed moderate correlations with total pain scores (r = 0.4) and with musculoskeletal and nocturnal pain subdomains, while depression showed only weak associations.
The players
American Neurological Association
A professional society of neurologists that hosts an annual meeting where neurological research, including Parkinson's disease studies, is presented.
Khechinashvili University Hospital Movement Disorders Referral Centre
A specialist movement disorders center in Tbilisi, Georgia, where the study was conducted.
The details
Anxiety and pain were measured with standardized questionnaires, and the associations were tested in multiple regression models, where the strongest total-pain beta was 0.39. Because the study looked at both measures at a single point in time, it can identify which symptoms travel together but cannot show which one drives the other. Researchers suggest that treating anxiety may help ease pain, a hypothesis that would need longitudinal or interventional studies to confirm.
Timeline
Patients were enrolled between November 2023 and May 2024.
Findings were presented at the 151st Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association on November 6, 2026.
Health Landscape
Pain in Parkinson's disease has historically been treated mainly as a motor-symptom companion, while the role of mood and anxiety has received less attention in routine care. This single-center study adds to a growing body of work that treats the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's as central to quality of life.
If you or someone you care for has Parkinson's disease, persistent pain or worsening anxiety are both worth raising with a neurologist or movement-disorders specialist, since they may be linked. Because stigma can keep people from seeking mental health care, it is reasonable to bring up mood symptoms alongside pain at your next appointment.
The takeaway
Anxiety and pain appear to travel together in Parkinson's disease, so mood deserves attention alongside physical symptoms. If pain or anxiety is affecting daily life, a conversation with your physician about both is a reasonable next step.
Further reading
For related context on brain health and neurological conditions, explore our Alzheimer's coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Healio.
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Would you feel comfortable discussing anxiety with your doctor if you had chronic pain?
