title: Specificity of affective and autonomic symptoms of depression in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Previous investigators have suggested that numerous symptoms used to diagnose depression, such as sleep or appetite disturbance, are non-specific in medically ill patients, and alternative diagnostic criteria should be developed. In the study this hypothesis was tested in Parkinson's disease (PD) by comparing patients with PD who reported a depressive mood with patients having PD but without a depressive mood. Depressed patients showed a significantly higher frequency of both autonomic and affective symptoms of depression. Depressed patients with PD reported a significantly higher frequency of worrying, brooding, loss of interest, hopelessness, suicidal tendencies, social withdrawal, self-depreciation, ideas of reference, anxiety symptoms, loss of appetite, initial and middle insomnia, and loss of libido when compared with non-depressed patients. No significant between-group differences, however, were observed in the frequency of anergia, motor retardation, and early morning awakening.
authors: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: S E
authors: SE
authors: Starkstein
authors: T J
authors: TJ
authors: Preziosi
authors: A W
authors: AW
authors: Forrester
authors: R G
authors: RG
authors: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012803:Sick Role