Depressive symptoms in Parkinson’s disease are insufficiently but more often treated than in other chronic conditions

• Published in: NPJ Parkinson's Disease Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 113 - 5
• Main Authors: Usnich, Tatiana, Hauptmann, Björn, Hanssen, Henrike, Prasuhn, Jannik, Balck, Alexander, Borsche, Max, Tadic, Vera, Klee, Annika, Noblejas-Sanchez, Greta, Vollstedt, Eva-Juliane, Klein, Christine, Brüggemann, Norbert, Kasten, Meike
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 14.07.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 692/617/375/1718; 692/617/375/365/1718; Antidepressants; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brief Communication; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic illnesses; Hyperlipidemia; Mental depression; Neurology; Neurosciences; Parkinson's disease; Quality of life; Restless legs syndrome; Thyroid diseases; Tremor (Muscular contraction); Vertigo
• ISSN: 2373-8057; 2373-8057
• DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00551-8

Depressive symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are multifactorial and are partly linked to the underlying dopaminergic deficit. However, at least a subset of PD patients may exhibit an unspecific depressive reaction to chronic illness. Here, we compared the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms in PD patients and disease controls (DC). PD patients reported depressive symptoms at similar frequencies as DC but were on antidepressants, especially Mirtazapine, more frequently. Still, in both groups, a high proportion of patients with clinically significant depressive symptoms was not receiving medication. Diagnosis and treatment of depressive symptoms both in PD and DC should be improved.