title: Psychological Stress and Changes of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis in Patients with "De Novo" Parkinson's Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychological stress and changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in period after diagnosis of "de novo" Parkinson disease (PD) could be a big problem for patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured psychological stress and changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) in thirty patients (15:15) with "de novo" Parkinson's disease, average age 64.17 ± 13.19 (28-82) years (Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla). We used Impact of events scale (with 15 questions) to evaluate psychological stress. Normal level of morning cortisol was 201-681 nmol/l, and morning adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) up to 50 pg/ml.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 55% patients suffered from mild or serious psychological stress according to IES testing (Horowitz et al.). Non-iatrogenic changes in HPA axis were noticed at 30% patients. The differences between female and male patients regarding to the age (p=0.561), value of cortisol (p=0.745), value of ACTH (p=0.886) and IES testing (p=0.318) were not noticed. The value of cortisol was the predictor of value of ACTH (r=0.427).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological stress and changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis are present in patients with "de novo" PD. There is significant relation between values of cortisol and ACTH. Psychological stress is frequent problem for "de novo" PD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Omer C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Ibrahimagic
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Amra Cickusic
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Jakubovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Dzevdet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Smajlovic
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Zikrija
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dostovic
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Suljo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunic
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Amra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iljazovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: HPA axis; Parkinson’s disease; Psychological stress; “de novo”