Biography

Jessie Gibson, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC, aims to alleviate neuropsychiatric symptoms experienced by individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Her research and teaching are guided by previous clinical experience as a nurse practitioner in behavioral and cognitive neurology, where she cared for individuals with Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Multiple Systems Atrophy, and Alzheimer’s disease, among other conditions. Interactions with patients and caregivers highlighted the lack of evidence-based treatment options for neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms, as well as resulting burden for patients and their families.

Her current research explores how to use behavioral interventions, such as cognitive bias modification, to improve symptoms of anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Related areas of inquiry include disease-related changes in social cognition and emotion recognition, social participation, and family and caregiver burden.

Dr. Gibson is currently accepting PhD students with related research interests. Please contact her via email for more information.

  • Vanderbilt University – PhD, Nursing Science (2019)
  • Vanderbilt University – MSN, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (2016)
  • University of Georgia – BA, Spanish Language & Literature (2013)

Certifications

  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC)

Recent Grants

  • NIH NINR K23NR020210, Modification of Threat Interpretation Bias to Reduce Anxiety in Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders, PI, 2023-2026
  • NIH NCATS KL2TR00316 (Papin/Worrall co-PIs), Measurement and Modification of Threat Interpretation Bias to Reduce Anxiety in Huntington’s Disease, iTHRIV/KL2 Scholar, 2021-2023
  • UVA 3Cavaliers Rapid Seed Grant, Assessing Anxious Thinking Patterns among Patients with Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders, co-PI, 2021-2022
  • Nightingale Award, UVA School of Nursing, Pilot Study of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation Bias Intervention in Patients with Huntington's Disease and Anxiety Symptoms, PI, 2021-2022

Publications

Journal Articles

Mattos, M. K., Gibson, J. S., Wilson, D., Jepson, L., Ahn, S., & Williams, I. C. (2023). Shared decision-making in persons living with dementia: A scoping review. Dementia (London, England), 22(4), 875-909. https://doi.org/10.1177/14713012231156976

Gibson, J. S., Flanigan, J.L., Patrie, J. T., Dalrymple, W. A., & Harrison, M. B. (2023). Predictors of anxiety in Parkinson's disease: Results from a 3-year longitudinal cohort study. Neurological Science, 44(2), 547-556. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-022-06427-8

Ahn, S., Springer K, & Gibson, J. S. (2022). Social withdrawal in Parkinson's disease: A scoping review. Geriatric Nursing, 48, 258-268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2022.10.010

Gibson, J. S., & Springer, K. (2022). Social withdrawal in Huntington's disease: A scoping review. Journal of Huntington's Disease, 11(1), 17-24. https://doi.org/10.3233/JHD-210519

Considine, C. M., Hughes, S., Gibson, J. Sellers, Isaacs, D., McDonell, K., Darby, R. R., & Claassen, D. (2022). Anosognosia and memory encoding in Huntington disease. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 35(1), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.1097/WNN.0000000000000293

Gibson, J. S., Rhoten, B. A., Ridner, S. H., & Claassen, D. O. (2022). Perceived effects of neuropsychiatric symptoms on functional status in early-stage Huntington disease. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 44(2), 141-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945921992545

Gibson, J. S., Isaacs, D. A., Claassen, D. O., & Stovall, J. G. (2021). Lifetime neuropsychiatric symptoms in Huntington's disease: Implications for psychiatric nursing. Archives of psychiatric nursing, 35(3), 284-289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2021.03.006

Gibson, J. S., Ridner, S. H., Dietrich, M. S., Sohn, M. B., Rhoten, B. A., & Claassen, D. O. (2021). Measuring functional status in Huntington's disease. Movement Disorders, 36(3), 757-761. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28363

Rhoten, B. A., Sellers, J. I., Baraff, B., Holler, K. H., & Ridner, S. H. (2021). A qualitative examination of patient priorities and preferences during treatment decision-making for recurrent head and neck cancer. Support Care Cancer, 29(1), 377-385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05488-9 (2020)

Gibson, J. S., & Claassen, D. O. (2021). State-of-the-art pharmacological approaches to reduce chorea in Huntington's disease. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 22(8), 1015-1024. https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2021.1876666

Gibson, J. S., Hunter, C. B., & Hewitt, L. A. (2020). A call to action: The role of healthcare providers in reducing the burden associated with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Neurology and Therapy, 9, e205-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-020-00203-6

Isaacs, D., Gibson, J.S., Stovall, J. & Claassen, D.O. (2020). The impact of anosognosia on clinical and patient-reported assessments of psychiatric symptoms in Huntington’s disease. Journal of Huntington's Disease, 9(3), 291-302. https://doi.org/10.3233/JHD-200410

Sellers. J., Ridner, S. H., & Claassen, D. O. (2020). A systematic review of neuropsychiatric symptoms and functional capacity in Huntington's disease. Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 32(2), 109-124. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.18120319

Sellers, J., Darby, R. R., Farooque, A., & Claassen, D. O. (2019). Pimavanserin for psychosis in Parkinson's disease-related disorders: A retrospective chart review. Drugs & aging, 36(7), 647-653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40266-019-00655-y

Diehl, S. K., Mefferd, A. S., Lin, Y. C., Sellers, J., McDonell, K. E., de Riesthal, M., & Claassen, D. O. (2019). Motor speech patterns in Huntington disease. Neurology, 93(22), e2042-e2052. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000008541