Citation

Strutt AM, Simpson R, Jankovic J, York MK. Eur. J. Neurol. 2012; 19(1): 121-127.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, European Federation of Neurological Societies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1468-1331.2011.03447.x

PMID

21668586

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) has been shown to have beneficial effects on the motor features of Parkinson's disease (PD), but its impact on non-motor symptoms, most notably mood, has not been fully explored.
METHODS: In the first study to independently compare the emotional-cognitive and somatic/physiological symptoms of depression, we examined mood differences in 17 bilateral STN-DBS and 22 matched non-surgical PD patients at baseline and 6 months.
RESULTS: The STN-DBS group reported higher levels of depression at baseline with significant endorsement of physical symptomatology. Postoperatively, no significant between-group differences in physical symptoms of depression were found. In contrast, a significant group by time interaction for cognitive-emotional symptoms of depression was found, with the STN-DBS group reporting an increase in psychological symptoms of distress. The STN-DBS group also reported an increase in anxiety following surgery. The suicide rate of 5% found in our study is consistent with other postoperative studies in PD. The impact of changes in levodopa and psychotropic medication are also explored.
CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results suggest that the motor improvement often observed in patients with PD following bilateral STN-DBS may be partially offset by an increase in affective-cognitive symptoms of depression.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Aged; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Emotions; Depression; Cognition; Neuropsychological Tests; Parkinson Disease; Deep Brain Stimulation