Treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and contribute to diminished health-related quality of life, increased dependency on caregivers, higher caregiver burden, and an increase in subjective motor symptoms. Unfortunately, anxiety in PD is undertreated due to limited identification. One reason for this under-recognition is due to a lack of valid screening instruments and the fact that clinically significant anxiety symptoms in PD often do not meet full Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria. Additionally, anxiety symptoms in PD generally are episodic, which makes the diagnosis more challenging. There is a scarcity of randomized clinical trials for the treatment of anxiety in PD. This chapter will describe the different anxiety disorders typically present in patients with PD, followed by a discussion on various therapeutic strategies.