[Features of affective disorders in patients with vascular parkinsonism]

Depression and anxiety were revealed in 40 of 56 patients with vascular parkinsonism; irritability up to dysphoria was observed in 29 patients. The treatment included administration of DOPA drugs (nakom and madopar) and cholinolytics (benactyzin, methylbenactyzin). No clear-cut correlation was found between the severity of neurological and affective disorders either before or during the treatment. Reduction in depression was greater following treatment with DOPA drugs while irritability showed a better response to cholinolytics. The results of therapy have allowed the conclusion that affective disturbances in parkinsonism can not be considered as a mere psychogenic reaction to a severe disabling disease but appear to be accounted for by the pathogenesis of the disease itself, in particular, by disorders in monoamine metabolism.