2Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Sağlık Meslek Yüksek Okulu AYDIN Introduction: Depression and dementia have been recognized as a common problem in PD. However there are debatable results about their nature and frequency of occurrence. Their effects on the PD clinic remain controversial. The aim of our study was to assess the frequency, risk factors, and interrelations between depression and dementia in PD patients.
Materials and Method: We evaluated retrospectively 240 idiopathic PD patients who responded well to L-dopa treatment. Severity of disease was evaluated by using UPDRS, HY and WS. HAM-D, MMSE and a socio-demographic questionnaire were also performed on all patients.
Results: Our patients (105 females, 135 males) were between 30 and 88 years of age (68.56±10.3). Depression was revealed in 43.6%, and dementia in 33.3%. Patients with dementia were older and had higher depression frequency and WS and UPDRS scores. Depressive patients had higher HY and WS scores also. Positive correlations were detected between disease duration and WS, UPDRS, HY. HAM-D had positive correlations with HY and UPDRS as well.
Conclusion: Depression and dementia were correlated with the severity of PD disability. Therefore, regular mood and cognitive state screening and appropriate treatment should be considered, especially in older PD patients with higher disease severity.
Keywords : Parkinson Disease; Psychology; Depressive Disorder; Dementia