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The pharmacologic management of depression in Parkinson's disease

Authors Schreiber M, Thompson A

Received 11 August 2012

Accepted for publication 6 November 2012

Published 18 January 2013 Volume 2013:3 Pages 1—9

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/DNND.S36917

Checked for plagiarism Yes

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 3



Matthew A Schreiber, Alexander W Thompson

University of Washington, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA

Abstract: Depression in Parkinson's disease (PD) is common, and it appears to worsen the motor and cognitive progression of the disease, and limits the patient's quality of life. In this paper, we review the pharmacotherapy of depression in people with PD. We find that evidence is sparse when it comes to this patient population. There is some evidence that older tricyclic antidepressants (nortriptyline and desipramine) may be effective in this population. There is also growing evidence that newer antidepressants like paroxetine and venlafaxine may be effective. We will also review a number of other promising medication treatments. What is apparent is the need for more research identifying the most effective medications for treating depression in this population. We provide recommendations that fall in line with current evidence-based practice for managing depression in the general population. Also, we suggest that collaborative models of depression care may be a promising approach to support the identification and effective treatment of those with PD also suffering from depressive disorders.

Keywords:
pharmacotherapy, collaborative care, Geriatric Depression Scale, neurology

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