DEPRESSION IN CLASSIC VERSUS AKINETIC-RIGID PARKINSONS-DISEASE

We examined the prevalence of major depression and dysthymia in 78 pat ients with the classic variant of Parkinson's disease (PD) (that is, t remor plus rigidity and/or bradykinesia), and in 34 patients with the akinetic-rigid variant. Although the prevalence of dysthymia was simil ar in both groups (classic PD, 31%; and akinetic-rigid PD, 32%), patie nts with akinetic-rigid PD had a significantly higher prevalence of ma jor depression (38% versus 15%, respectively; p < 0.01). A stepwise re gression analysis demonstrated that bradykinesia was the extrapyramida l sign with the highest correlation with Hamilton depression scale sco res. Our findings demonstrate a significant association between major depression and the akinetic-rigid type of PD.