A Comparative Analysis of Psychiatric Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease Between Tremor-Dominant and Non-Tremor-Dominant...

There is currently no study comparing psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's patients with tremor-dominant (TD) and non-tremor-dominant (NTD) phenotypes. Our research hypothesis suggests that patients with the TD phenotype would have higher levels of anxiety compared to those with the NTD phenotype.

To test this hypothesis and fill the gap in the literature.

The study included 128 patients, 77 in the TD group and 51 in the NTD group. After their neurological evaluation, the same psychiatrist interviewed them, and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and sociodemographic data form were administered.

The TD group had statistically significantly higher scores on the BSI total and anxiety scores (P < 0.001 for both analyses). Linear regression analysis revealed that being in the TD group was an independent risk factor for BSI total and anxiety scores (P < 0.001 for both analyses).

The results of our study are noteworthy as they show higher psychiatric symptoms in the TD group, despite previous studies reporting worse prognosis in Parkinson's patients with NTD phenotypes. In addition, the presentation of psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease appears to be linked to how the disease manifests clinically.