Psychological Approaches to the Understanding and Treatment of Psychological Difficulties in Individuals with Neurodegenerative Diseases
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Behavioral Neuroscience".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 207
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, UK
Interests: clinical psychology; neuropsychology; health psychology; neurodegenerative diseases
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are life-limiting and often incurable conditions characterised by progressive neuronal death. They represent one of the greatest global health challenges of our time, especially due to the increase in life expectancy observed over the last century. Albeit with some variation, most individuals who are diagnosed with NDDs experience a wide range of physical, social, and psychological issues that can severely impair their quality of life. In particular, psychological distress can occur at any time throughout the course of these conditions, either in an acute or chronic form.
Historically, our understanding of psychological difficulties in NDDs has been dominated by neurobiological conceptualisations, which assume that psychological difficulties occur as a result of pathophysiological processes such as structural changes in the brain. More recently, however, it has been recognised that the psychological issues in NDDs are likely caused by a combination of both neurobiological and psychological factors, such as the process of adjusting to living with a life-limiting incurable condition. Nonetheless, the current literature around psychological approaches to the understanding and treatment of psychological difficulties in many NDDs still appears to be sparse.
Thus, this Special Issue of Brain Sciences aims to provide a dedicated platform for researchers worldwide to publish and disseminate new evidence on psychological approaches to NDDs, including theoretical and applied contributions on several aspects involved with working psychologically with people with NDDs, such as emotional and behavioural difficulties, psychotherapy, psychosocial interventions, and health psychology constructs. Studies focused on cognition will also be considered if aimed at improving psychological well-being.
Dr. Nicolò Zarotti
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- psychotherapy
- psychological interventions
- emotional distress
- behavioural difficulties
- neurodegenerative diseases
- dementia
- Huntington’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- motor neuron disease
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
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