[Parkinson's disease, side affected and depression].
BACKGROUND
Depression is a state of mind often associated with Parkinson's disease, which is not correlated with the stage of the disease or the response to treatment with L-dopa. It has been suggested that patients with right-sided Parkinsonism have more depression than those with left-sided.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether patients whose dominant side is affected primarily have more depression than those whose non-dominant side is affected; and to evaluate whether when the dominant side is more affected this is accompanied by greater deterioration on the scale of everyday activities (ADLS) and on the motor part of the unified scale for evaluation of Parkinsonism (UPDRSm).


METHODS
The study group was formed of 63 patients with Parkinsonism at stage 1 or 1.5 (Hoehn and Yahr), with an average age of 66.17 years. They were divided into two groups. Those who received L-dopa (Dopa group) and those who were newly-diagnosed patients (Naive group). They were evaluated on the Hamilton test, UPDRSm and ADLs scale. We used Wilcoxon's nonparametric sum of ranges test taking p < 0.01 as significant.


RESULTS
The indexes of depression were greater, in both groups, in the patients whose dominant side was affected (p < 0.001). There were no differences in UPDRSm or ADLs.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients with Parkinson's disease whose dominant side is primarily affected have worse depression. The depression seems originate in the dominant hemisphere.
Serrano-Dueñas
M
M
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín (Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social) y Facultad de Medicina de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador. serranom@pi.pro.ec
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa
Enfermedad de Parkinson, hemicuerpo afectado y depresión.