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Robin Williams had Parkinson's Disease


littlebug42
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I was just reading that Parkinson's involves the degeneration of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Since dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that is involved in depression, it seems to me that Parkinson's itself might cause severe depression.

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Here is one study that explored the link between Parkinson's and depression. One quote: "The rate of severe depression is twice that seen in other equivalently disabled patients "

 

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/128/6/1314.long

This is interesting. I wonder how many people who have depression, then are years later diagnosed with Parkinson's, suffered from the depression because they actually had Parkinson's. Am I making sense? I guess I am wondering how many of today's depression cases are really the very first stage of Parkinson's. Or, is long term, undiagnosed/untreated depression something that makes one susceptible to Parkinson's. Just musing.

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This is interesting. I wonder how many people who have depression, then are years later diagnosed with Parkinson's, suffered from the depression because they actually had Parkinson's. Am I making sense? I guess I am wondering how many of today's depression cases are really the very first stage of Parkinson's. Or, is long term, undiagnosed/untreated depression something that makes on susceptible to Parkinson's. Just musing.

It's an interesting question. I have read study summaries indicating that people with depression have a significantly increased risk of later developing Parkinson's, so it may in at least some cases all be part of the same neurological problem, just manifesting at different stages.

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It's an interesting question. I have read study summaries indicating that people with depression have a significantly increased risk of later developing Parkinson's, so it may in at least some cases all be part of the same neurological problem, just manifesting at different stages.

 

You said it much more clearly than I did! That is what I was wondering.

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This is interesting. I wonder how many people who have depression, then are years later diagnosed with Parkinson's, suffered from the depression because they actually had Parkinson's. Am I making sense? I guess I am wondering how many of today's depression cases are really the very first stage of Parkinson's. Or, is long term, undiagnosed/untreated depression something that makes one susceptible to Parkinson's. Just musing.

 

This was my mil. Suffered from severe depression her entire life. Eventually dxed with Parkinson's. 

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