DEPRESSION IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE - BIOGENIC-AMINES IN CSF OF DE-NOVO PATIENTS

Introduction. Etiology of depression in Parkinsons disease (PD) is ass ociated with serotonergic dysfunction. Previous studies, supporting th is hypothesis, were performed on patients treated with antiparkinsonia n drugs. To eliminate the influence of parkinsonian drug therapy and t o elucidate significance of different biochemical pathways in PD assoc iated with depression we determined levels of biogenic amines in cereb rospinal fluid (CSF) of 26 untreated ''de novo'' Parkinsonian patients . Material and methods. Patients were scored with the Hamilton depress ion scale (HD) and subdivided into groups with HD score greater than o r equal to 18 and HD score <18. Diagnosis of depression was made accor ding to DSM III R. Both groups were matched for age and motor disabili ty. Results. In both groups no significant differences appeared betwee n CSF levels of dopamine, noradrenaline, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic aci d, homovanillic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and 5-hydroxyind ole acetic acid, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Discussion. In contrast to previous studies on treated Parkinsonian p atients no sign of altered serotonin metabolism especially in context with severity of depression in early stages of PD was found. Due to ou r results, we suggest. that biochemical markers of depression in CSF o f PD may be influenced by antiparkinsonian therapy and that depression in PD may respond to serotonin reuptake inhibitors mainly in later st ages of PD.