Movement symptoms not the only problem in Parkinson's disease

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Depression, cognitive problems and compulsive behavior are just a few of the issues troubling those who have Parkinson's disease.
Doctors at Harvard Medical School highlight the wide spectrum of problems associated with Parkinson's disease. It's commonly thought that tremors and slow, rigid movements are the main issue. But in one survey, 88 per cent of patients cited many non-movement problems as well.

These include depression, which affects more than half of those with Parkinson's and dementia, which is six times more common than among the rest of the population. Around one in five have hallucinations and delusions and compulsive behavior, like excess gambling or shopping, are not uncommon. Loss of smell, blood pressure instability and loss of smell may also occur. These symptoms should be recognized as being part of Parkinson's and treated accordingly, say the experts.

Source
Harvard Women's Health Watch May 2006

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