Dr A. van der Heide (Anouk) MSc

Together with colleagues, I investigate the significant role of psychological stress in Parkinson's disease (PD). I focus on the effects of acute stress by investigating the contribution of the noradrenergic stress system to tremor, a symptom that is known to be very sensitive to stress. In addition, I am interested in the effects of chronic stress, by describing which clinical, psychological and social measures predict stress-resilience in people with PD, and by exploring whether stress can accelerate PD disease progression. I also monitored personal experiences regarding the effects of stress and non-pharmacological stress reduction strategies in PD. In an ongoing project, we aim to demonstrate the efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention as a non-pharmacologic treatment strategy for neuropsychiatric as well as motor symptoms in people with PD, and to identify the mechanisms underlying stress and stress reduction in PD.

• Perception, Action and Decision-making

• Systems Neurology