Effect of subthalamic stimulation on mood state in Parkinson's disease: evaluation of previous facts and problems

In an attempt to clarify the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on mood state, previous evidence and problems were evaluated through a systematic literature search. Twenty three articles reported the effect of STN DBS on mood state in Parkinson's disease (PD), and antidepressant, depressant, and mania-induced effects were reported in 16.7-76%, 2-33.3%, and 4.2-8.1% of the patients treated with STN DBS, respectively. Most articles reported larger subgroups showing antidepressant effects than those showing depressant effects. The average depression scale score of all subjects was improved or unchanged after STN DBS. Although there was a limitation due to the varied results, it was suggested that, in general, STN DBS had an antidepressant effect in PD. However, the studies reporting severe depressant symptoms, such as suicidal attempts, after STN DBS indicated the importance of careful attention to mood state as well as to motor symptoms after STN DBS. It may be crucial to reduce the variation in the results by, for example, the use of standardized protocols and the precise verification of the stimulated region in further investigations to address this issue.