Depression Talk

It’s common for people with Parkinson’s Disease to also have another disease — depression. About half of all people with Parkinson’s Disease also have diagnoseable depression. In fact, some researchers think that the first sign of Parkinson’s Disease is depression, which occurs about a year before Parkinson’s sets in. A study published in the May 28, 2008 issue of Neurology posits that people with depression are three times more likely to get Parkinson’s than people without depression.

Yes — I know. That’s a lot of information to digest all at once. Heaven knows that depressives already have enough to worry about. Trust me — the news isn’t all bad. If you have already been diagnosed with any type of depression, the chances are you won’t get Parkinson’s, too.

Is It The Drugs Or The Depression?

There has been some serious speculation that the reason depression and Parkinson’s Disease go together so often is because of the antidepressants taken for depression predispose a person to Parkinson’s. I haven’t seen anything concrete to back this information up — but if you know of any studies, feel free to comment (and cross your fingers that WordPress comment feature is working.)

Everyone on both sides of my family has clinical depression. They even married some people with depression. I probably have more cousins than I have chin hairs. And not one of those family members ever got Parkinson’s. I know that doesn’t prove anything; it’s just food for thought.

Serotonin And Dopamine

The exact cause of Parkinson’s Disease is still mysterious, but it is thought that lowered levels of dopamine have some part to play in it. Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin can affect the level of dopamine in your brian. Low levels of serotonin can mean low levels of dopamine. Serotonin, remember, is also thought to be the culprit behind migraines and epilepsy.

I Want An Old Drug

In yet another article of yet another study published in yet another issue of Neurology, it is ssuggested that the SSRI class of antidepressants (Prozac, Paxil and the like) be skipped in favor of older tricyclics. Tricyclics came out int eh 1950’s and SSRIs came out in the 1980’s.