Depression in Parkinson

Do you have PARKINSON’S DISEASE and also feel DEPRESSED, LOW-IN-ENERGY, or TIRED?

If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study at NYU Medical Center.

• You will receive free care and investigational medication from our experts.
• You will be reimbursed for your time and travel expenses.

For more information call NYU Langone Parkinson and Movement Disorders Center at 212-263-7042 or email us at Sara.Varanese@nyumc.org

Overview

Many, or perhaps most, persons with Parkinson, experience depression during the course of the disease.

• The psychological pain of depression may be at times disabling on its own.
• There is strong evidence that depression further worsens motor performance at all stages of Parkinson.
• There may be a different type of depression in Parkinson, and the response to conventional antidepressants is often poor.

At NYU Langone Parkinson and Movement Disorders Center we are studying the efficacy of drugs that may be helpful to treat depression associated with Parkinson's disease. We are also studying how depression affects motor and mental function.

Current Studies

SAMe Study

We are conducting a National Institute of Health sponsored study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of two antidepressants: Escitalopram (also known as Lexapro®) and S-Adenosyl-methionine (SAMe).

• SAMe is a natural occurring substance that may have fewer side effects and may be more specific for the symptoms of depression associated with Parkinson.
• We are also investigating whether the depression that develops in early stages of PD is similar in characteristic and response to treatment than the depression observed in more advanced stages.
• Depression, particularly in advanced stages of Parkinson, may also lead to cognitive and intellectual changes, which are being investigated as part of the study

Mood and Movement Study

Depression is common in Parkinson’s Disease and often characterized by atypical features, as apathy and psychomotor slowing, which may affect some motor symptoms of the disease. In collaboration with the City University of New York we are studying the correlation between motor disturbances and depression. By studying how the movement is programmed and executed in depressed and non-depressed Parkinson patients, wewill answer the following questions:

• Are movement programming and execution more severely affected in depressed patients?
• Do depressed patients have specific impairment in the learning of the motor sequences?
• By using the high density EEG and the MRI our study aims also to better understand if depression, motor and cognitive impairment the share similar neural substrates in Parkinson’s disease.