Objective: To evaluate correlations of depression and anxiety levels with motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms and pharmacological factors in Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Depression and anxiety are frequent neuropsychiatric findings of PD. Degeneration of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems has been known as well as the loss of dopaminergic innervation in this illness. However, the factors effecting the correlations of depression and anxiety in PD is not clear yet.

Methods: Two groups of 30 untreated PD patients were included in the study. The groups were split out depending on their ages with the cut-off age of 60. None of the patients were diagnosed with dementia. Unified Parkinson’s disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Non-motor symptom Questionnaire (NMSQ) were responded by the patients according to their age groups. The level of depression and anxiety were monitored using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) applied at start-up, 3 and 6 months after the treatment. The correlations of depression and anxiety levels with motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms and pharmacological factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate generalized estimating equation.

Results: Depression and anxiety may become evident as an outcome of the pathophysiology of PD. Depression has been found to be correlated with gender and motor symptoms where anxiety has been related with age, educational background and the onset age of PD.

Conclusions: Gradual decrease of depression and anxiety symptom levels were observed as a consequence of the treatment of motor symptoms.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/disease-related-variables-effect-on-depression-and-anxiety-level-in-parkinsons-patients/