Dopamine and its Role in Parkinsons Disease Research Paper

Dopamine and its Role in Parkinsons Disease - Research Paper Example The researchers in this study stated that there appeared to be a link between depression and anxiety in PD.   According to Lemke, these studies proved that dopaminergic treatment for PD was important and that there was a correlation between PD and depression. 1.1 Dopamine Agonists and Depression According to Lemke, dopamine agonists work on the dopaminergic systems of the body (10). Because they work directly on these areas, they may be responsible for mood behavior. One dopamine agonist, pramipexole, was studied by other researchers and found to react as an antidepressant for bipolar disease and treatment-resistant depression (10). Several studies in this study showed that patients who took pramipexole performed better and were less depressed than those who did not take it (11). 1.2 Anhedonia and Depression Anhedonia is another agonist that has had positive effects on depression with PD patients and it has also affected any motor alterations (11). Several studies were quoted in Le mke’s article that used this agonist. All of the other studies found that patients with PD were helped via the use of agonists by controlling depression. Lemke concluded that PD patients with depression â€Å"might† benefit from a global approach to the disease that included dopamine agonists because they seemed to reduce motor complications and symptoms of depression. By using agonists the regimen of drugs could be lessened and would stop any side effects from the antidepressant medications that the patients may be taking.