Abstract

The distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine; however, there are also major alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the signs, symptoms, neuropsychological manifestations of the diseases. PD patients can be divided into classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, type A, classified as tremor dominant, and type B PD, classified as akinetic. Type B PD patients, often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, such as frontal cognitive impairments, which often includes a history of depression or trauma antedating the onset of the illness. A third group of PD patients are individuals who initially presented as Type A and over time became akinetic, resembling Type B patients.

The Serotonin Depletion Syndrome Checklist (SDSCL) was created in a clinical setting, based on symptoms seen in patients with PD and was correlated with a decrease in central serotonin as measured by ventricular cerebral spinal fluid (vCSF). The aim of this study was to complete a validation study of the SDSCL. This involved a construct analysis by measures of depression, anxiety, frontal lobe functioning, hypothyroidism, and vitamin B12 deficiency; and a factor analysis. The results indicated that the SDSCL correlates with measures of depression and anxiety. Additionally, it can be divided into three factors or measures: depression, pain/muscle disturbance, and anxiety/irritability.

PD patients were evaluated on the SDSCL, depression, anxiety, frontal lobe functioning, trauma history, hypothyroidism, and vitamin B12 deficiency to determine differences in PD subtypes. In general, there is a trend of increased SDSCL scores, depression, frontal lobe inhibition symptoms, vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms, and hypothyroidism symptoms in the Type B patients as compared to the Type A PD patients. The Type AB patients appear to be a unique subset of PD, distinguishable from both the Type A and Type B PD patients.

LLU Discipline

Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Louis E. Jenkins

Second Advisor

John Buchholz

Third Advisor

Lincoln Edwards

Fourth Advisor

Robert P. Iacono

Fifth Advisor

Matt Riggs

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2005

Date (Title Page)

9-2005

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Parkinson Disease -- psychology; Serotonin -- analysis; Parkinson Disease -- diagnosis

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

xiv; 93

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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