# Non-Motor Symptoms: The Hidden Face of Parkinson’s Disease

## TL;DR

This paper highlights the often-overlooked non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and their impact on patients’ lives.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease, emphasizing their clinical and social significance.

## Key findings

- Non-motor symptoms are a major contributor to reduced quality of life in Parkinson’s patients.
- Many clinicians focus primarily on motor symptoms, neglecting non-motor aspects.
- Early recognition of non-motor symptoms can improve treatment and patient care.

## Abstract

Non-motor symptoms (NMSs) of Parkinson’s disease (PD) were recognized by James Parkinson himself about 200 years ago and are now considered to be an integral part of PD, significantly contributing to the deterioration of patients’ quality of life. Although awareness of NMSs is growing, and several scientific societies now have dedicated non-motor study groups, the NMS burden is still the hidden face of PD and in most cases, clinicians’ views are focused on the motor symptoms alone. The literature was reviewed using several databases and scientific journals; this review provides a comprehensive description of the most common NMSs in PD, their clinical phenotype, social impact, diagnosis, and therapeutic management. Early recognition of these features may lead to more prompt and effective treatment and may help to better understand patients’ needs.