Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & PsychiatryLongitudinal Decline in Striatal Dopamine Transporter Binding in Parkinson’s Disease: Associations with Apathy and Anhedonia

Dopaminergic Dysfunction: A Key Player in Parkinson’s Disease Motivational Symptoms

This study reveals a significant link between dopaminergic dysfunction and the emergence of motivational symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. Striatal DAT imaging emerges as a potential tool for predicting apathy/anhedonia risk, opening new avenues for intervention strategies.

• Longitudinal study involved 412 newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients tracked over five years.
• Apathy and anhedonia, common motivational symptoms in PD, were measured using a composite score derived from relevant items of the GDS-15 and part I of the MDS-UPDRS.
• Dopaminergic neurodegeneration was gauged using repeated striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging.
• A significant negative relationship was found between striatal DAT specific binding ratio (SBR) and apathy/anhedonia symptoms as PD progressed.
• Onset and worsening of apathy/anhedonia symptoms began, on average, two years post-diagnosis and below a certain striatal DAT SBR level.
• The interaction between striatal DAT SBR and time was specific to apathy/anhedonia symptoms, with no similar interaction for general depressive symptoms or motor symptoms.
• Striatal DAT imaging could be a valuable tool for predicting the risk of apathy/anhedonia, informing intervention strategies.