MOOD AND ANXIETY FLUCTUATION IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH LEVODOPA INFUSION - PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Pilot data on mood and anxiety changes in 15 Parkinson's disease patie nts with motor fluctuations are described based on ratings every 30 mi n for 5 h bracketing a 2-h constant-rate levodopa infusion. Robust moo d and anxiety effects slightly preceded but temporally paralleled fluc tuations in motor tapping scores. Research nurse ratings blind to pati ent ratings corroborated the changes. The magnitude of changes in mood and anxiety scores did not correlate with the magnitude of changes in tapping scores. The findings of this uncontrolled study suggest mood and anxiety fluctuations may be a common and potentially important com ponent of levodopa-induced fluctuations.