Transcranial sonography findings related to depression in parkinsonian disorders: cross-sectional study in 126 patients.

Angela E.P Bouwmans,Wim E.J Weber,Werner H Mess,Albert F.G Leentjens

doi:10.7717/peerj.2037

Angela E.P Bouwmans, Wim E.J Weber + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2037

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Abstract

Background. Transcranial sonography (TCS) has emerged as a potential diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has suggested that abnormal echogenicity of substantia nigra, raphe nuclei and third ventricle is associated with increased risk of depression among these patients. We sought to reproduce these findings in an ongoing larger study of patients with parkinsonian syndromes.Methods. A total of 126 patients with parkinsonian symptoms underwent the Hamilton Depression Scale, and TCS of the substantia nigra (SN) (n = 126), the raphe nuclei (RN) (n = 80) and the third ventricle (n = 57). We then calculated the correlation between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN and a wider third ventricle.Results. In patients with PD we found no significant difference of the SN between non-depressed and depressed patients (46% vs. 22%; p = 0.18). Non-depressed patients with other parkinsonisms more often had hyperechogenicity of the SN than depressed patients (51% vs. 0%; p = 0.01). We found no relation between depression and the echogenicity of the RN or the width of the third ventricle.Conclusions. In patients with parkinsonian syndromes, we found no association between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN or a wider third ventricle, as determined by transcranial sonography.

Highlights

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a worldwide prevalence of 41–1,903 per 100,000 (Pringsheim et al, 2014)
Other parkinsonisms and presence depression (n = 7). In this cross-sectional study of 126 early stage parkinsonian patients we did not find any relation between the presence of depressive symptoms and the echogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN), raphe nuclei (RN) nor the width of the third ventricle
We found a higher frequency of hyperechogenicity of the SN in the non-depressed patients with other parkinsonisms, but the significance of this remains unclear as it is the result of a posthoc subgroup analysis

Summary

Introduction

Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a worldwide prevalence of 41–1,903 per 100,000 (Pringsheim et al, 2014). Over the last 10 years transcranial sonography (TCS) of the substantia nigra (SN) has emerged as a promising tool in this regard. Transcranial sonography (TCS) has emerged as a potential diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has suggested that abnormal echogenicity of substantia nigra, raphe nuclei and third ventricle is associated with increased risk of depression among these patients. A total of 126 patients with parkinsonian symptoms underwent the Hamilton Depression Scale, and TCS of the substantia nigra (SN) (n = 126), the raphe nuclei (RN) (n = 80) and the third ventricle (n = 57). In patients with parkinsonian syndromes, we found no association between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN or a wider third ventricle, as determined by transcranial sonography

Methods

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Conclusion