[Catecholamine metabolism in Parkinson's disease with depression]

Daily urinary catecholamine excretion (DOPA, DA, DOPAC, NA, A) was studied in 66 patients with Parkinson's disease, 38 of them with differently expressed depression. Depression severity correlated with rigid form of disorders (p < 0.001). Biochemical profile of the depressive patients was characterized by noradrenaline (NA) to adrenaline (A) ratio reduction (p < 0.01) and dopamine to NA (p < 0.01) ratio increase on the background of total catecholamines deficit. Changes of NA/A and DOPA and correlation between DOPA and depression severity imply a role of dopamine neuromediator deficit in depression development.