Objective: My aim is to investigate the frequency, profile, and predictors of depression in PD patients compared to age- and gender-matched controls using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D).

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, and rigidity, as well as non-motor symptoms, including depression. Depressive symptoms in PD are often under-recognized, under-diagnosed, and, even when identified, frequently undertreated.

Method: 130 patients with a clinical diagnosis of PD at the University College Hospital in Ibadan had the Hamilton Depression Scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment administered to them. It employed a comparative cross-sectional design with a consecutive sampling technique to examine Parkinson’s disease patients and matched healthy controls. A structured questionnaire interview and a neurological examination, including the Hoehn and Yahr stage of illness scale and the motor section of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, were performed. An equal number of age- and gender-matched controls were recruited for the study.

Results: Of the 130 PD patients, depression was found in 71.5% of the patients. Based on their Hamilton Depression Scale, 53.1% had mild depression, 16.9% had moderate depression, and 1.5% had severe depression. As the Hoen and Yahr staging of PD severity increased from Stage 1 (40 mild (30.8%), 5 moderate depression(3.8%)) to Stage 2 (22 mild(16.9%), 8 moderate(6.2%)), Stage 3 (6 mild(4.6%), 9 moderate(6.9%), 1 severe(0.8%)), and Stage 4/5(2 severe(1.5%)),the severity of depression worsened, with a progressive shift from mild to moderate and severe depression.

Conclusion: Patients with PD had a higher frequency of depression compared to their healthy counterparts. Longer duration of PD, higher scores on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UDPRS), and motor phenotype (PIGD) were significantly associated with depression. Additionally, older age, lower BMI, and presence of non-motor symptoms (cognitive impairment, autonomic dysfunction, sleep disturbances) also correlated with increased depression severity.

Hamilton Depression Categorization

HAM-D Comparison with Hoen-Yahr stage.

Cross Tabulation of Case HAM-D and Motor Phenotype

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/profile-and-predictors-of-depression-in-parkinsons-disease-patients-attending-the-neurology-clinic-at-the-university-college-hospital-ibadan-nigeria/