Parkinson's syndrome, depression and imipramine. A preliminary report.

Patients with Parkinson's syndrome whose major symptoms are akinesis, rigidity, inertia, depression, irritability and failure of adaptation rather than tremor appear to benefit in a global way from therapy with imipramine. Patients without much over-all functional impairment do not show this improvement. The hypothesis is offered that motivation to move and ability to move are perhaps neurologically as well as psychologically related functions.