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Depression in Parkinson's Disease

A Positron Emission Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

H. A. Ring*
Affiliation:
Institute of Neurology, London
C. J. Bench
Affiliation:
MRC Cyclotron Unit, London
M. R. Trimble
Affiliation:
Institute of Neurology
D. J. Brooks
Affiliation:
MRC Cyclotron Unit
R. S. J. Frackowiak
Affiliation:
Royal Postgraduate Medical School and MRC Cyclotron Unit
R. J. Dolan
Affiliation:
Royal Free Hospital and MRC Cyclotron Unit
*
Dr Ring, Academic Department of Psychiatry, The London Hospital Medical College, Alexandra Wing, Turner Street, London E1 2AD

Abstract

Background

This study investigated biological correlates of depression in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). We tested the hypothesis that in patients with PD and depression, there was regional dysfunction involving brain areas previously implicated in functional imaging studies of patients with primary depression.

Method

Using positron emission tomographic measurements of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), patterns of resting rCBF were measured in ten patiens with PD and major depression, and ten patients with PD alone. The results were compared with findings from ten patients with primary depression and ten normal controls, scanned using identical methods as part of an earlier study. Groups were matched for age, sex and symptom severity.

Results

Bilateral decreases in rCBF were observed in anteromedial regions of the medial frontal cortex and the cingulate cortex (Brodmann's areas (BA) 9 and 32) in the depressed PD group, compared with those with PD alone and compared with normal controls. This regional disturbance overlapped that observed in patients with primary depression.

Conclusions

The findings indicate that the medial prefrontal cortex is a common area of neural dysfunction in the manifestation of both primary depression and depression in PD.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994 

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