Mood and anxiety disorders are the most common neuropsychiatric syndromes associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of lifetime and current anxiety disorders in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), to explore possible dis-tinctive neurological and psychiatric features associated with such comorbidity. One hundred patients were consecutively recruited at the Movement Disorders Section of the Neurological Outpatient Clinic of the University of Pisa. According to the MINI‐Plus 5.0.0, 41 subjects were diagnosed with lifetime anxiety disorder (22 with panic disorder) and 26 were diagnosed with current anxiety disorders. Patients with anxiety disorders were more frequently characterized by psychiatric symptoms preceding PD, lifetime major depression and antidepressant treatments. They showed more anxious temperamental traits and scored higher at Parkinson Anxiety Scale (PAS) and per-sistent anxiety subscale. Current anxiety disorders were associated with more severe psycho-pathology, depressive symptomatology, and avoidant behavior. Among anxiety subtypes, patients with lifetime panic disorder showed higher rates of psychiatric symptoms before PD, lifetime unipolar depression, current psychiatric treatment, and a more severe psychopathology. Given the overall high impact of anxiety on patients’ quality of life, clinicians should not underestimate the extent of different anxiety dimensions in PD.
Prevalence and clinical correlates of comorbid anxiety and panic disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Elefante C.;Brancati G. E.;Bacciardi S.;Mazzucchi S.;Palermo G.;Frosini D.;Bonuccelli U.;Ceravolo R.;Lattanzi L.;Maremmani I.;Perugi G.
2021-01-01
Abstract
Mood and anxiety disorders are the most common neuropsychiatric syndromes associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of lifetime and current anxiety disorders in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), to explore possible dis-tinctive neurological and psychiatric features associated with such comorbidity. One hundred patients were consecutively recruited at the Movement Disorders Section of the Neurological Outpatient Clinic of the University of Pisa. According to the MINI‐Plus 5.0.0, 41 subjects were diagnosed with lifetime anxiety disorder (22 with panic disorder) and 26 were diagnosed with current anxiety disorders. Patients with anxiety disorders were more frequently characterized by psychiatric symptoms preceding PD, lifetime major depression and antidepressant treatments. They showed more anxious temperamental traits and scored higher at Parkinson Anxiety Scale (PAS) and per-sistent anxiety subscale. Current anxiety disorders were associated with more severe psycho-pathology, depressive symptomatology, and avoidant behavior. Among anxiety subtypes, patients with lifetime panic disorder showed higher rates of psychiatric symptoms before PD, lifetime unipolar depression, current psychiatric treatment, and a more severe psychopathology. Given the overall high impact of anxiety on patients’ quality of life, clinicians should not underestimate the extent of different anxiety dimensions in PD.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
