EFFECT OF AGE AT ONSET ON FREQUENCY OF DEPRESSION IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE

In a consecutive series of 169 outpatients with Parkinson's disease th e frequency of depression was compared in two groups: those who develo ped Parkinson's disease before the age of 50, and those who developed the disease after 50. Major depression was found in 36% of patients wi th early onset and in 16% of patients with late onset Parkinson's dise ase. This significant difference disappeared when both groups were mat ched for duration of Parkinson's disease. A stepwise regression analys is in both the early onset and the late onset Parkinson's disease show ed a significant correlation only between depression scores and the im pairment scores of activities of daily living.