Depression affects approximately 50 percent of Parkinson’s disease patients, while its sidekick anxiety, affects more than 25 percent of the PD population. The continuum spans from patients who have bouts with mild depression, to the extremes of long-term depression and profound anxiety. According to Dr. Laura Marsh, of Johns Hopkins University, “There are many depressive sub-syndromes that affect Parkinson’s disease patients’ quality of life. However, depression and anxiety are treatable, and treatment reduces the burdens of [Parkinson’s] disease.” She points out that depression and other non-motor symptoms are often more troublesome than many of the hallmark symptoms of PD, such as tremors.
Dr. Marsh knows about depression and anxiety in patients with Parkinson’s disease. She is a neuropsychiatrist with a keen interest in Parksinson’s disease. She is the principal investigator of an NIH-funded study to improve the diagnosis of depression in Parksinson’s disease patients. She was also an editor of the text, Psychiatric Issues in Parkinson's Disease: A Practical Guide. Dr. Marsh shared this information with the media at the World Parkinson Congress in Washington DC.
Some people associate depression and anxiety with the stress or discouragement of the challenges presented by PD. However, the larger contributor may be the changes occurring in the patient’s brain. Researchers see changes in the brain associated with Parkinson's disease; and, they reason that these changes hinder the brain's ability to maintain the chemicals that regulate mood. Depression and anxiety are often the result.
Physicians often under-diagnose depression and anxiety in PD patients because of many hidden challenges. Some physicians do not recognize depression, because many of the signs of depression overlap with many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, physicians and patients often fail to communicate about depression and anxiety.
According to MayoClinic.com, the main symptoms of depression are:
- You lose interest in or pleasure from activities that you used to enjoy.
- You feel sad, helpless or hopeless, and may have crying spells.
Click here to visit MayoClinic.com’s article about depression.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should share them with your physician. Virtually all physicians address questions about depression. Neurologists and primary care physicians treat it as well. For many patients, treatment for depression is relieving, refreshing and life changing.
