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Apathy and Depression in Huntington's Disease: Distinct Longitudinal Trajectories and Clinical Correlates
Michael H Connors1, Armando Teixeira-Pinto1, Clement T Loy1
1Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Connors); Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney (Teixeira-Pinto, Loy); Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, and The Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia, and Huntington Disease Service, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia (Loy).
The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
|September 21, 2022
Summary
Apathy in Huntington's disease (HD) worsens over time and is linked to poorer outcomes, independent of depression. Distinguishing apathy from depression is crucial for effective HD management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder causing motor, cognitive, and psychiatric issues.
- Apathy is a frequent and impactful symptom in HD, often confused with depression due to overlapping features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the progression of apathy and depression in HD patients over time.
- To identify clinical factors associated with apathy and depression in HD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Cooperative Huntington Observational Research Trial, a 5-year prospective study.
- Recruited 1,082 HD patients, assessing cognition, function, neuropsychiatric status, motor function, and medications annually.
Main Results:
- Apathy prevalence and severity increased over 5 years in HD patients.
- Apathy correlated with worse cognition, function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and motor function.
- Depression remained stable and was linked to neuropsychiatric symptoms and suicidal ideation.
Conclusions:
- Apathy in HD progresses and is independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes.
- Differentiating apathy from depression is vital for prognosis and treatment strategies in Huntington's disease.
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