Novelty-seeking in Parkinson's disease after deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus: a case-control study.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in Parkinson's disease (PD) is about 50%.


OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated differences among PD patients treated by deep brain stimulation (DBS), by drugs alone (noDBS), and healthy control subjects.


METHODS
Samples of 22 subjects in each group were assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Hamilton scales for anxiety and depression (Ham-A and Ham-D).


RESULTS
Higher scores emerged on two Novelty-Seeking subscales in PD-DBS patients. Ham-A and Ham-D scores were lower in PD-DBS patients than in PD-noDBS patients and control subjects. Rigidity and non-impulsiveness were lower in PD-DBS than in PD-noDBS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies should investigate whether or not these changes in personality are a consequence of the motor and depression improvement after DBS.
Fassino
Secondo
S
Dept. of Neuroscience, Psychiatric Institute, University of Turin, Via Cherasco Number 11, 10126, Torino, Italy. secondo.fassino@unito.it
Abbate Daga
Giovanni
G
Gramaglia
Carla
C
Pierò
Andrea
A
Zibetti
Maurizio
M
Castelli
Lorys
L
Cinquepalmi
Annina
A
La Notte
Michele
M
Lopiano
Leonardo
L
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires