Depression in Parkinson's Disease: An Update

Depression is the most common psychological disturbance that affects people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite an increasing amount of research devoted to this topic, uncertainty still exists concerning many aspects of depression in PD. Significant questions remain regarding some very basic issues, including how best to diagnose depression in PD, how frequently depression complicates PD, the risk factors for developing depression, and how best to treat depression. This chapter provides a current perspective on what is known about depression in PD, reviewing its epidemiology, etiology, and treatment. Rather than providing a comprehensive overview, the focus here is on updating the major themes of research in this field.