Psychomotor retardation and risk of Parkinson's disease in unipolar depression: A retrospective cohort study.

Cohort studyJournal of affective disorders· Aug 2026

Psychomotor retardation and risk of Parkinson's disease in unipolar depression: A retrospective cohort study.

Hamilton Morrin, James B Badenoch, Ella Burchill … Jonathan P Rogers

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Movement DisordersCohort studyPrognosisQ1IF 6.0

Psychomotor retardation in depression linked to higher subsequent Parkinson's disease risk.

Psychomotor retardation and risk of Parkinson's disease in unipolar depression: A retrospective cohort study.

Hamilton Morrin … Jonathan P Rogers

Journal of affective disorders · Aug 2026

Background

Depression is associated with an increased risk of subsequent Parkinson's disease.

Methods

In a retrospective cohort study, electronic healthcare records from individuals diagnosed with depression at age 40 or over in a large mental health service in London, UK were examined for the presence of psychomotor retardation.

n = 6326 patients

Results

psychomotor retardation raised later parkinson's risk

HR 1.57 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.22)

null 1

1.11

2.22

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Among 6326 patients with depression, there were 17,998 psychomotor observation intervals and 138 incident Parkinson's disease cases.

Secondary analyses demonstrated a significant difference in psychomotor retardation probability at up to 2.5 years before Parkinson's diagnosis.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Psychomotor retardation in later-life depression is associated with increased risk of subsequent Parkinson's diagnosis over an extended period of time, suggesting that the relationship cannot solely be explained by misdiagnosis.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Psychomotor retardation might therefore serve as a marker of prodromal Parkinson's disease.

Psychomotor retardation and risk of Parkinson's disease in unipolar depression: A retrospective cohort study.

Psychomotor retardation and risk of Parkinson's disease in unipolar depression: A retrospective cohort study.

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