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PARKINSONISM, L‐DOPA AND MENTAL DEPRESSION
Author(s) -
Cherington Michael
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1970.tb02784.x
Subject(s) - parkinsonism , depression (economics) , medicine , psychiatry , disease , mental disease , depressive symptoms , levodopa , parkinson's disease , cognition , economics , macroeconomics
A bstract Twelve patients with classical idiopathic Parkinson's disease were treated with L‐dopa. All 12 experienced improvement in motor status. In 6, however, marked depressive symptoms developed after several months of treatment. Although the study involved only 12 patients, it reveals a disturbing aspect of the treatment of parkinsonism with l ‐dopa. The occurrence of mental depression deprives the patient of the happier existence that increased mobility should offer. There is also the increased danger of suicide; the 2 patients who attempted it were the only ones with a previous history of depression. More studies must be made to determine to what degree mental depression may limit the use of L‐dopa.