Iodine-123 fluoropropyl-carbomethoxy-3-β-(4-iodophenyltropane) single-photon emission computed tomography findings before and after electroconvulsive therapy in major depressive disorder with Parkinsonism.

Background: To date, only a few cases of improvement of Parkinsonism in depressed patients treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have been reported. However, no functional imaging data are available to support this finding. Objective: To describe the first observation of increase in dopamine transporter uptake after ECT. Methods: Iodine-123 fluoropropyl-carbomethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyltropane) single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging was conducted in a 77-year-old depressed patient displaying symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) before and after a series of 12 bilateral ECTs. Results: The patient displayed improvement in PD symptoms and increase in dopamine transporter uptake after ECT. Conclusions: Our observation suggests that the PD symptoms and decrease in striatal uptake appearing in the context of a depressive episode might warrant further attention, as they might be reversible.