Serotonergic dysfunction in depression associated with Parkinson's disease

Neurology. 1992 Sep;42(9):1813-4. doi: 10.1212/wnl.42.9.1813.

Abstract

A 55-year-old man presented with a 5-year history of Parkinson's disease and a 6-month history of major depression. The patient's depressive symptoms responded to treatment with fluvoxamine, a selective and potent serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Tryptophan depletion testing, which acutely lowers central serotonin levels, caused a brief exacerbation of the depressive illness, which resolved upon tryptophan repletion. Serotonergic dysfunction may be an etiologic factor in depression that occurs in Parkinson's disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / etiology
  • Depressive Disorder / metabolism*
  • Fluvoxamine / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Parkinson Disease / metabolism*
  • Parkinson Disease / psychology*
  • Serotonin / metabolism*
  • Tryptophan / metabolism

Substances

  • Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors
  • Serotonin
  • Tryptophan
  • Fluvoxamine