Drugs may ease depression without worsening motor problems for PD patients

Certain antidepressants appear to decrease depression in people with Parkinson's disease without worsening motor problems, according to a study published in the April 11, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"These results are exciting because depression is common in Parkinson's but we weren't sure about the best way to treat it. Older antidepressants are effective but have a lot of side effects. The newer antidepressants have fewer side effects but we didn't know if they'd be effective in people with Parkinson's. We were also worried that they might worsen the motor problems that come with the disease," said research author Irene Richard of the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurologic disorder that worsens over time, leaving patients less able to direct or control their movements due to the loss of cells in various parts of the brain. In addition to the physical problems, Parkinson's can also cause psychological symptoms. Almost one-half of people with Parkinson's suffer from depression, and it is a major cause of disability.