Skip to main content
Log in

The motor performance test series in Parkinson's disease is influenced by depression

  • Short Communication
  • Parkinson's Disease and Allied Conditions
  • Published:
Journal of Neural Transmission Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The Motor Performance Test Series (MPTS) is widely used for treatment control in Parkinson's disease (PD). To elucidate the possible influence of depression on the fine motor skills in PD, 54 patients with idiopathic PD were investigated with the MPTS. 27 patients with major intensity of depression were compared to 27 age and motor disability matched patients with minor symptoms of depression, evaluated by the Zung depression scale. As determined by the subtest aiming, a significant lower ability for precise, quick complex arm-hand movements in depressed Parkinsonian patients was found. This result may be explained partly by motivation deficits in depressed patients with PD. On the other hand impairment of special motor loops including frontal lobe projections to specific thalamic subnuclei or to the caudate nucleus may cause disturbances of the subtest aiming in depressed Parkinsonian patients. On the basis of these findings impaired aiming may be explained by diminished ability for complex, semivoluntary movements in depressive Parkinsonian patients. The influence of psychiatric comorbidity on MPTS subtest aiming has to be considered in further therapy studies using evaluation of motor deficits by MPTS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alexander GE, DeLong MR, Strick PL (1986) Parallel organization of functionally segregated circuits linking basal ganglia and cortex. Ann Rev Neurosci 9: 357–381

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen RM, Weingärtner H, Smallberg S, Pickar D, Murphy DL (1982) Effort and cognition in depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 39: 593–597

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummings JL (1992) Depression and Parkinson's disease: a review. Am J Psychiatry 149: 443–454

    Google Scholar 

  • Duvoisin RC (1971) The evaluation of extrapyramidal disease. In: Ajuriaguerra J (ed) Monoamines, noyeaux gris centraux et syndrome de Parkinson. Massen, Paris, pp 313–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahn S, Elton RL, UPDRS Development Committee (1987) Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale. In: Fahn S, Marsden CD, Calne DB, Goldstein M (eds) Recent development in Parkinson's disease. Macmillan Health Care Information, New York, pp 153–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Farina E, Cappa SF, Polimeni M, Magni E, Canesi M, Zecchinelli A, Scarlato G, Mariani C (1994) Frontal dysfunction in early Parkinson's disease. Acta Neurol Scand 90: 34–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart RP, Kwentus JA (1987) Psychomotor retardation and subcortical dysfunction in depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 50: 1263–1266

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoehn MM, Yahr MD (1967) Parkinsonism: onset, progression and mortality. Neurology 17: 427–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber SJ, Paulson GW, Shuttleworth EC (1988) Relationship of motor symptomes, intellectual impairment, and depression in Parkinsons disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 51: 855–858

    Google Scholar 

  • Kraus P, Klotz P, Fischer A, Przuntek H (1987) Assessment of Parkinson's disease by apparative methods. J Neural Transm [Suppl] 25: 89–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Laux G, Kuhn W, Classen W (1989) Psychomotor investigations in depressed patients by comparison with Parkinson patients. In: Przuntek H, Riederer P (eds) Early diagnosis and preventive therapy in Parkinson's disease. Springer, Wien New York, pp 55–63 (Key Topics in Brain Research)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayberg HS, Starkstein SE, Sadzot B, Preziosi T, Andrezejewski PL, Dannals RF, Wagner HN Jr, Robinson RG (1990) Selective hypometabolism in the inferior frontal lobe in depressed patients with Parkinson's disease. Ann Neurol 28: 57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinter MM, Helscher RJ, Nasel C, Riedl E, Schnaberth G (1992) Quantification of motor deficit in Parkinson's disease with a motor performance test series. J Neural Transm [P-D Sect] 4: 131–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Playford ED, Jenkins IH, Passingham RE, Nutt J, Frackowiak RS, Brooks DJ (1992) Impaired mesial frontal and putamen activation in Parkinson's disease: a positron emission tomography study. Ann Neurol 32: 151–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers D, Lees AJ, Smith E, Trimble M, Stern GM (1987) Bradyphrenia in Parkinson's disease and psychomotor retardation in depressive illness. Brain 110: 761–776

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin E, Sackeim HA, Prohovnick I, Moeller JR, Schnur DB, Mukherjee S (1995) Regional cerebral blood flow in mood disorders. IV. Comparison of mania and depression. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 61: 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoppe KJ (1974) Das MLS-Gerät. Ein neuer Testapparat zur Messung von feinmotorischen Leistungen. Diagnostica 20: 43–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Starkstein SE, Bolduc PL, Mayberg HS, Preziosi TJ, Robinson RG (1990) Cognitive impairments and depression in Parkinson's disease: a follow up study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 53: 597–602

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster DD (1968) Clinical analysis of the disability in Parkinson's disease. Modern Treatment, Hagerstown (Md) 5: 257–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Zung WWK (1965) A self-rating depression scale. Arch Gen Psychiatry 12: 63–70

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kuhn, W., Heye, N., Müller, T. et al. The motor performance test series in Parkinson's disease is influenced by depression. J. Neural Transmission 103, 349–354 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01271246

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01271246

Keywords

Navigation