Combined Beneficial Effect of Rasagiline on Motor Function and Depression in De Novo PD.

Clin Neuropharmacol. 2012 May 3;

Authors: Korchounov A, Winter Y, Rössy W

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate prokinetic and antidepressive effects of rasagiline in de novo Parkinson disease (PD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed PD with comorbid untreated depression were randomly assigned to rasagiline monotherapy 1 or 2 mg/d. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part 2 (Activity of Daily Living) and Part 3 (Motor Function), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) assessments were carried out by a blinded investigator in each patient at baseline and after 8 weeks of rasagiline treatment. RESULTS: Both groups showed equal motor improvement at the end point. The improvements of HDRS score and activity of daily living were significantly more pronounced with rasagiline, 2 mg/d, than rasagiline, 1 mg/d (P = 0.0002). The treatment with rasagiline, 2 mg/d, improved symptoms in all HDRS core depression symptoms and specifically those not considered to be influenced by motor function: mood, guilt, psychic anxiety, and hypochondria. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that antidepressive effect seen in higher dosage of rasagiline may be not related to the motor improvement.

PMID: 22561875 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Psychometric properties of the Starkstein Apathy Scale in patients with early untreated Parkinson disease.

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Feb;20(2):142-8

Authors: Pedersen KF, Alves G, Larsen JP, Tysnes OB, Møller SG, Brønnick K

Abstract
BACKGROUND: : Although the 14-item Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS) is recommended to screen for and measure the severity of apathetic symptoms in Parkinson disease (PD), the psychometric attributes of this scale have not yet been fully evaluated.
OBJECTIVE: : The authors examined the reliability, factor structure, and discriminant validity of the SAS in 194 nondemented patients with early untreated PD.
DESIGN: : Cross-sectional multicenter population-based study from Western and Southern Norway.
MEASUREMENTS: : Standardized rating scales for parkinsonism and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
RESULTS: : The SAS showed fair internal consistency (Cronbach's ? = 0.69) and exploratory factor analysis identified two factors: the first factor (24.2% of the variance) represented cognitive-behavioral aspects of apathy (items 1, 2, and 4-8; Cronbach's ? = 0.74) and the second factor (15.0% of the variance) a general apathy dimension (items 3 and 9-14; Cronbach's ? = 0.52). The correlation between these two factors was low (Spearman's r = 0.19, N = 194, p = 0.008), indicating clinically distinct dimensions, but both factor scores were strongly related to the total SAS score (Spearman's r > 0.6, N = 194, p < 0.0005). Item 3 (insight or self-reflection) showed a negative item-total correlation, and removing this item raised the Cronbach's ? of the second factor to 0.70, but did not substantially alter the other results. Both the total score and factor scores of SAS showed fair discriminant validity.
CONCLUSIONS: : Although the SAS showed fairly good psychometric properties and the exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor solution, the results with this PD sample indicate that item 3 is ambiguous and should be considered removed from the scale.

PMID: 22064613 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Psychometric properties of the starkstein apathy scale in patients with early untreated Parkinson disease.

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Feb;20(2):142-8

Authors: Pedersen KF, Alves G, Larsen JP, Tysnes OB, Møller SG, Brønnick K

Abstract
BACKGROUND: : Although the 14-item Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS) is recommended to screen for and measure the severity of apathetic symptoms in Parkinson disease (PD), the psychometric attributes of this scale have not yet been fully evaluated.
OBJECTIVE: : The authors examined the reliability, factor structure, and discriminant validity of the SAS in 194 nondemented patients with early untreated PD.
DESIGN: : Cross-sectional multicenter population-based study from Western and Southern Norway.
MEASUREMENTS: : Standardized rating scales for parkinsonism and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
RESULTS: : The SAS showed fair internal consistency (Cronbach's ? = 0.69) and exploratory factor analysis identified two factors: the first factor (24.2% of the variance) represented cognitive-behavioral aspects of apathy (items 1, 2, and 4-8; Cronbach's ? = 0.74) and the second factor (15.0% of the variance) a general apathy dimension (items 3 and 9-14; Cronbach's ? = 0.52). The correlation between these two factors was low (Spearman's r = 0.19, N = 194, p = 0.008), indicating clinically distinct dimensions, but both factor scores were strongly related to the total SAS score (Spearman's r > 0.6, N = 194, p < 0.0005). Item 3 (insight or self-reflection) showed a negative item-total correlation, and removing this item raised the Cronbach's ? of the second factor to 0.70, but did not substantially alter the other results. Both the total score and factor scores of SAS showed fair discriminant validity.
CONCLUSIONS: : Although the SAS showed fairly good psychometric properties and the exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor solution, the results with this PD sample indicate that item 3 is ambiguous and should be considered removed from the scale.

PMID: 22064613 [PubMed - in process]

Psychometric properties of the starkstein apathy scale in patients with early untreated Parkinson disease.

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Feb;20(2):142-8

Authors: Pedersen KF, Alves G, Larsen JP, Tysnes OB, Møller SG, Brønnick K

Abstract
BACKGROUND: : Although the 14-item Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS) is recommended to screen for and measure the severity of apathetic symptoms in Parkinson disease (PD), the psychometric attributes of this scale have not yet been fully evaluated.
OBJECTIVE: : The authors examined the reliability, factor structure, and discriminant validity of the SAS in 194 nondemented patients with early untreated PD.
DESIGN: : Cross-sectional multicenter population-based study from Western and Southern Norway.
MEASUREMENTS: : Standardized rating scales for parkinsonism and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
RESULTS: : The SAS showed fair internal consistency (Cronbach's ? = 0.69) and exploratory factor analysis identified two factors: the first factor (24.2% of the variance) represented cognitive-behavioral aspects of apathy (items 1, 2, and 4-8; Cronbach's ? = 0.74) and the second factor (15.0% of the variance) a general apathy dimension (items 3 and 9-14; Cronbach's ? = 0.52). The correlation between these two factors was low (Spearman's r = 0.19, N = 194, p = 0.008), indicating clinically distinct dimensions, but both factor scores were strongly related to the total SAS score (Spearman's r > 0.6, N = 194, p < 0.0005). Item 3 (insight or self-reflection) showed a negative item-total correlation, and removing this item raised the Cronbach's ? of the second factor to 0.70, but did not substantially alter the other results. Both the total score and factor scores of SAS showed fair discriminant validity.
CONCLUSIONS: : Although the SAS showed fairly good psychometric properties and the exploratory factor analysis suggested a two-factor solution, the results with this PD sample indicate that item 3 is ambiguous and should be considered removed from the scale.

PMID: 22064613 [PubMed - in process]