Paranoia in Older Adults with and without Parkinson’s Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Paranoia in Older Adults with Parkinson's Disease Compared to a Control Group
IRAS ID
364665
Contact name
Lauren Cash
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford, Research Governance, Ethics and Assurances
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 30 days
Research summary
Research has shown that psychotic experiences are common in people with Parkinson’s disease. Psychotic experiences can involve both hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Although paranoia is less common than hallucinations in people with Parkinson's, paranoia can be more distressing and have a bigger impact on quality of life (e.g. more likely to lead to nursing home placement) and often involves specific concerns about spousal betrayal and abandonment from others. This study aims to investigate types of paranoia in a group of older adults with Parkinson's, compared to a control group of older adults without Parkinson's. Participants will be asked to fill out questionnaires about paranoia, and statistical analysis will be used to determine differences between the two groups. In line with previous research and theory, we predict that there will be lower levels of persecutory paranoia in the PD group but higher levels of paranoia that involve interpersonal sensitivity and mistrust. The results of this study can help us better understand paranoia in older adults with Parkinson's and may inform how we assess and treat these difficulties.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NE/0083
Date of REC Opinion
5 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion