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Novelty-Seeking in Parkinson’s Disease After Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus: A Case–Control Study

Received October 19, 2007; revised October 25, 2007; accepted November 5, 2007. From the University of Turin, Dept. of Neurosciences, Psychiatry Section, and the Neurology and Neurosurgery Section, Psychiatric Institute, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Prof. Secondo Fassino, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Dept. of Neuroscience, Psychiatric Institute, University of Turin, Via Cherasco Number 11, 10126, Torino, Italy. e-mail: secondo.fassino{at}unito.it
© 2010 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is about 50%. OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated differences among PD patients treated by deep brain stimulation (DBS), by drugs alone (noDBS), and healthy control subjects. METHOD: Samples of 22 subjects in each group were assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Hamilton scales for anxiety and depression (Ham–A and Ham–D). RESULTS: Higher scores emerged on two Novelty-Seeking subscales in PD–DBS patients. Ham–A and Ham–D scores were lower in PD–DBS patients than in PD–noDBS patients and control subjects. Rigidity and non-impulsiveness were lower in PD–DBS than in PD–noDBS patients. CONCLUSION: Further studies should investigate whether or not these changes in personality are a consequence of the motor and depression improvement after DBS.

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