Depression type in Parkinson Disease

Abstract

Thirty-three patients with Parkinson Disease were evaluated neurologically and neuropsychologically. Seventy percent without a previous psychiatric diagnosis, were depressed. This depression was not related to the presence of dementia, stage of the disease, a general estimate of memory and attention, years of Parkinsonism, age, or indices of frontal cortex-related functioning. Because the depression did not positively relate to factors suggestive of advancing disease, it is proposed that the depression is reactive to the disease rather than an integral part of it.