A Comparison between Frequency of Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life Among Patients with Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s Disease

Objective: Essential tremor is a movement disorder characterized by action tremor. There are a lot of studies that have shown the high comorbidity rates of depression in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Depression has been found to exert negative effect on quality of life of patients with PD. Although essential tremor (ET) is a movement disorder like PD, few studies have examined the prevalence and the effects of depressive symptoms on quality of life in patients with ET. The aim of this study was to assess the depressive symptoms and their effect on quality of life in a sample of patients with PD, ET and healthy controls.Method: Forty-six patients with PD, thirty-seven patients with ET and forty-two healthy controls were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), short-form of WHO Quality of Life Scale and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Severity of PD symptoms were assessed by the Hoehn-Yahr (HY) scale and the Motor Subscale of the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-III, and severity of tremor was evaluated with the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale. Results: BDI scores revealed the presence of mild depressive symptoms both in patients with PD and with ET. According to the results of regression analysis, BDI scores had significant impact on quality of life in patients with PD and with ET. Discussion: Depressive symptoms either due to underlying pathophysiological process of movement disorder or secondary to the disease should be considered in patients with PD and with ET. (Arc-hi-ves of Neu-ropsy-chi-atry 2011; 48: 255-60)