Parkinson's disease and depression

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that affects about 1% of the population aged 60 and over as the result of degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Along with motor symptoms, most of PB patients experience non-motor symptoms, especially depression. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and degree of depression in patients with PD. The study included 84 PD patients that were followed-up at the outpatient clinic for movement disorders and fulfilled the decisive criteria for the diagnosis of PB (by the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank Clinical Diagnostic Criteria). All participants completed a questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI). The total BDI score of 14-19 points included mild depression, 20-29 points moderate, and ≥30 points severe depression. The mean age of the patients (M=48, F=36) was 62.2±3.8 years; the mean duration of PD was 8.6±4.1 years; and the mean Hoehn & Yahr stage was 3.1±6.2. Analysis of BDI showed symptoms of depression in 49 (58.33%) study subjects, mild in 14, moderate in 25 and severe depression in 10 subjects. The diagnosis of depressive disorder was set by a psychiatrist according to DSM-IV-TR criteria in 65.30% of patients. Depression is found in a high percentage of PD patients. BDI could be a very useful method for detecting and grading depression in PD patients. Along with history data and complete clinical examination, BDI could be an additional indicator of the necessity to initiate specific antidepressant therapy.