Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease: review of data from the Arab world

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) are common, underrecognized, and impact patients' quality of life. Research around this topic is scarce in the Arab world. The aim of this comprehensive narrative review was to examine available evidence and discusses its strengths and limitations. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched using relevant keywords for studies published between 2000 and 2023. A total of 10 epidemiological and three assessment tool validation studies of neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD, conducted in the 22 Arab countries, were included. Only four Arab countries contributed to the 10 epidemiological studies found. Egypt provided the largest number of patients. Prevalence rates of neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD were heterogenous. Three studies relied on the Non-Motor Symptom Scale to estimate prevalence. Three studies used validated screening tools for dementia. Five studies used specific screening tools for depression, while two used the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria for depression. No appropriate and validated tool is available to assess for apathy. The generalizability of the findings is limited and recommendations for future studies are provided.