Depressive disorders in the patients with Parkinson's disease
Thirty patients (14 females and 16 males, 39 to 86 years old) with Parkinson's disease were under observation. Duration of disease was from 2 to 10 years. Clinical scaling has shown that the patients with Parkinson's disease exhibited stage 2 to 3 of disorder, according to Hoehn and Yahr scores. To evaluate severity of the depressive state, the Hamilton and Montgomery-Assberg scales were used. Levels of the patients' motivation for recovery from their own disease were assessed with a special questionnaire (Recovery Locus of Control). The Hamilton scale proved to be more exact, i.e., a minor depressive episode was revealed in 19 of 30 patients, with a total score of 7 to 15 points. The levels of motivation for recovery from own disorder proved to be significantly decreased, and an inverse correlation was found between this parameter and the degree of depressive conditions in Parkinson's disease patients. The results of study argue for a necessity of early detection of depressive disorders in Parkinson's disease and inclusion of modern antidepressants into combined therapy of the disease.