Parkinson’s Disease And Depression

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive disorder affecting the brain, motor system, an individual’s thinking and emotion. It is a result of a loss in brain cells which produce the chemical messenger Dopamine which controls an individual’s movement.

The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremor and trembling of the hands, arms legs, face and stiffness in the limbs and trunk. The individual usually has slow movement and postural instability. Their balance and coordination also becomes impaired. Sufferers usually experience difficulties with walking, speaking and carrying out their every day tasks. The early symptoms are subtle and appear gradually.

Parkinson’s disease affects more than half a million Americans. Those suffering from the disease are also at greater risk of suffering from depression. Treating the depression assists in helping people manage with their disease and significantly improves their quality of life.

Detecting depression in a person suffering from Parkinson’s disease can be difficult due to the lack of a standard assessment tool. Depression is estimated to be quite common as over half the people suffering from Parkinson’s disease also suffer from depression.

Unfortunately, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated. This is often due to family, friends and health professional misinterpreting the warning signs of depression and mistaking them for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Men are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease and are more likely to have difficulties in acknowledging and accepting that they have depression.

The symptoms of depression are very similar and can overlap with those of Parkinson’s disease. An experienced health professional should recognise the symptoms in their true sense and provide the appropriate treatment.

Depression affects the individual’s thought, feeling and ability to function in their every day life. It can occur at any age and although there are therapies available, less than half the people receive the help they require.

Depression is a result of abnormal functioning of the brain. Research is still trying to establish what causes it. A person’s level of risk is determined between the generic predisposition and life history. Depression can be triggered by stress, difficult events in an individual’s life, medication side effects and other environmental factors. A person’s energy is limited is limited whilst suffering from depression especially when they are attempting to stay focused on treatment for other disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease.

Depression between those who have and don't have Parkinson’s Disease have differing symptoms. Those suffering from Parkinson’s disease have an increase rate of anxiety, sadness, self blame and guild. The suicide rates are lower even though the thoughts of suicide are higher. It has been found that hormonal imbalances such as hypogonadism and hypothyroidism can cause the symptoms of depression.





The authors of e-books, newsletters and other site content of parkinsonsdiseaseadvisor.com are competent, experienced writers or health care specialists within their own field. They have made every effort to ensure all information produced is correct and up to date at time of writing. Please note no documentation on this site has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and no documentation on this site should be used to diagnose,treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Any information given on parkinsonsdiseaseadvisor.com is to be used for educational and information purposes only. It should never be substituted for the medical advice from your own doctor or other health care professionals. We do not dispense medical advice, prescribe drugs or diagnose any illnesses with our literature. parkinsonsdiseaseadvisor.com is not responsible or liable for any self or third party diagnosis made by visitors based on the content of this website. Neither does parkinsonsdiseaseadvisor.com in any way endorse any commercial products or services linked from other websites to this website. Please, always consult your doctor or health care specialist if you are in any way concerned about your physical wellbeing.