Early warning signs of impulse control in Parkinson's disease are uncovered in new study

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that there are warning signs when someone on Parkinson's drugs is at risk of an impulse control disorder.
A small number of patients undergoing treatment for Parkinson's disease develop impulse control disorders, such as excessive interest in sex, compulsive gambling or shopping addiction. Now a team at Johns Hopkins University reveals that those at risk can be pinpointed by their early responses to treatment.

One hundred patients having treatment for Parkinson's disease were studied, of whom nine went on to develop impulse control disorders. This group was also more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, changes in appetite and irritability before the impulse disorder set in. Therefore, carefully monitoring of such symptoms on starting treatment may be helpful in identifying those at later risk of an impulse control disorder, so they can perhaps benefit from early intervention.

Source
Neurology 10th October 2006

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