My father whole leg jerk sometimes in a week. When he sees leg or has his mind towards leg, jerk frequency increases. And if we indulge his mind towards other things Like in talking etc. Jerk become slower and gradually goes. He is also suffering from depression. Can this jerking be associated to parkinson disease? Why or why not. Help.

Dr. Akshata BhatPsychiatrist5yrs exp

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First consult a neurologist to rule out any neurological cause. In some movement disorders, the symptoms reduce on distraction. Hence that factor cannot be used to diagnose. For a patient to have Parkinson's disease, other features like tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, etc also need to be present. Once it is ruled out, consult a psychiatrist. In some patients, depression and anxiety often manifests as a physical symptom. If he is on medication, ensure it is in supervised capacity. 

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