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

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 inl 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 land hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-ec ogenic 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 tri with other parkinsoniss more often had hyperechogenicity of the SN than depressed patients (51% vs. 0%; p = 0.01). We found no relation between depression andl the echogenicity of the RN or the width of the third ventricle. Conclusions. In patients with parkinsonian syndtomes, we found no association between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN or a wider third ventricle, as determined by transcranial sonography.