title: Behavioral complications of drug treatment of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: A variety of neuropharmacologic agents, including anticholinergic drugs, amantadine hydrochloride, levodopa, selegiline, bromocriptine, and pergolide, are now available for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Of patients treated with dopaminergic agents, 30% develop visual hallucinations, 10% exhibit delusions, 10% have euphoria, 1% have mania, 10% to 15% experience increased anxiety, 15% have confusional periods, and a few exhibit altered sexual behavior. Anticholinergic drugs have a greater tendency to produce confusional states than dopaminergic compounds. Elderly patients and those with underlying dementia are most likely to have untoward side effects with anti-parkinsonism treatment. Dosage reduction is the optimum management strategy, although anti-psychotic agents may be necessary in patients with delusions, and lithium may help control drug-induced mania. Dopaminergic agents share the property of stimulation of D2 dopamine receptors, and this action may play an essential role in mediating their neuropsychiatric effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cummings
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents