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Methylphenidate May Treat Apathy Independent of Depression

Staff Psychiatrist, Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Frederick Petty, MD PhD

Associate Chief, Mental Health, Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Creighton University, Omaha

Subhash C Bhatia, MD

Chief, Mental Health, Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Creighton University

Reprints: Dr. Padala, 4101 Woolworth Ave., Omaha, NE 68105-1873, fax 402/943-5543, ppadala{at}unmc.edu

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of apathy treated with methylphenidate in which improvement in apathy was independent of improvement of depression.

CASE SUMMARY: A 47-year-old woman with a 20-year history of recurrent major depression was diagnosed as having significant apathy with lack of initiative and motivation. Over the course of a 4-week treatment regimen with methylphenidate, her apathy, as measured by the Apathy Evaluation Scale, improved, with her score decreasing from 57 to 31. During this period, her depression, as assessed by the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, remained unchanged.

DISCUSSION: Our report of improvement of apathy with methylphenidate is consistent with other reports in the literature, although previous studies have not specifically used the rating scales to assess apathy. Even though this patient had experienced apathy for a long time, it had not been detected due to lack of direct questioning. In this case, as noted, the improvement of apathy was independent of improvement in depression.

CONCLUSIONS: A high degree of suspicion and specific inquiry is required for identification of apathy. Once detected, methylphenidate may be beneficial in its treatment, a strategy that may work independently of augmentation of antidepressants.

Key Words: apathy, depression, methylphenidate

Published Online, October 4, 2005. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1G352

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