State of the "Art" in Freezing of Gait: Drawing on Perspectives of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease.

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Freezing of gait (FoG) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is increasingly recognized as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing motor, cognitive, and emotional domains. The impact of FoG is enormous, but can be difficult to articulate. Traditional clinical assessments typically fail to capture its subjective and affective impact. This qualitative study explored drawings from individuals with PD to better understand the lived experience of FoG. Specifically, we collected artworks created by individuals who experience FoG. We studied the personal perceptions and emotions associated with FoG drawings in two ways: by asking participants to narratively explain their artwork and a qualitative curation by an international panel of experts of neurology, neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, neuroaesthetics, art, and empirical aesthetics. Five overarching themes emerged: (1) "Captured feet," depicting sensations of being glued, tethered, or rooted to the ground; (2) "Chaos," reflecting disrupted motor control during environmental or cognitive overload; (3) "Emotional explosion," expressing fear, anger, helplessness, and loss of control; (4) "Freezing and falls," highlighting instability and existential threat; and (5) "Released from freeze," portraying therapeutic relief, restored movement, and joy. These visual narratives reveal that FoG is more than just a motor block. Rather, it is an embodied experience of immobilization, emotional escalation, and vulnerability, contrasted by profound relief when mobility returns. Artistic expression offers unique insights beyond structured assessments, fostering empathetic clinician-patient communication, and supporting a more holistic, person-centered approach to PD care.

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