Depression increases risk for Parkinson’s disease

Analysis of a nationwide study cohort indicated diagnosed depression significantly increased risk for subsequent Parkinson’s disease.“Depression is more common in patients with Parkinson’s disease than in the general population. It is a major factor for health-related quality of life in patients with [Parkinson’s disease], and may also be associated with more rapid deterioration in cognitive and motor functions,” study researcher Helena Gustafsson, MD, of Umeå University in Sweden, and colleagues wrote in Neurology. “Many studies have reported an increased prevalence of depression in these patients before the clinical onset of [Parkinson’s disease], suggesting that psychological reactions to this disease cannot entirely explain the relationship.”