Apathy and Parkinson's - what is apathy?

Apathy is a state of lack of motivation or interest, combined with a neutral mood and a feeling of indifference. Many times this is interpreted as a lack of effort or productivity and dependence on others to plan activities. There is also often a lack of self-care, and an indifferent response to events that would otherwise cause emotional reactions, such as receiving bad news.
Unlike depression, in an apathetic state there is no sadness or low mood - there is simply no emotion, neither happy nor sad.
Did you know that the word "apathy" comes from the Greek: without passion.

What causes apathy in people dealing with Parkinson's disease?

The direct cause of apathy in Parkinson's patients is unclear, but it seems to be a product of chemical changes that occur in the basal ganglia, the area of ​​the brain that is related to a variety of functions including emotion and motor control.
When living with Parkinson's, social contact becomes more difficult due to limited mobility and the means of communication may also be affected. These difficulties may even worsen the growing feelings of apathy.
For a long time it was assumed that apathy and depression go hand in hand, but a study conducted in 2006 revealed that people with Parkinson's do not have to be depressed to experience apathy. The study compared 80 people with Parkinson's to 20 other people with non-parkinsonian dystonia, and found significantly higher severity and frequency in people with Parkinson's. 51% of participants with Parkinson's received a positive score on the Marin Apathy Evaluation Scale, compared to 20% of those with dystonia. Results also showed that although rates of depression were the same in both groups, 28.8% of Parkinson's participants experienced apathy without depression, compared to people with dystonia.
These results emphasize the importance of diagnosing both apathy and depression, to ensure a correct diagnosis and to avoid prescribing antidepressants when depression is actually not present.

Translator's name: Beverly Yohanan
27/2/2011

Translated from the websites:
http://www.rewritetomorrow.eu.com/pdsymptoms/apathy
http://www.rewritetomorrow.eu.com/pdsymptoms/apathy/what-causes-apathy-in-parkinsons
For the use of the above sections and their translation, the European Parkinson's Association (EPDA), to whom the original rights belong, must be thanked.