Parkinson's drug linked to compulsive gambling

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A small study suggests that a drug for Parkinson's disease may trigger compulsive gambling and other problem behaviors.
Previous work has shown a link between a drug that boosts dopamine levels and compulsive gambling. Further evidence now comes from the Mayo Clinic, where seven of eleven patients were found to develop compulsive gambling on beginning treatment with pramipexole. This drug increases dopamine which, in turn, helps improve the movement problems linked to Parkinson's disease.

Another four patients developed compulsive gambling later. And six of the group also experienced other behavioral problems such as increased alcohol consumption and compulsive eating. It is not clear why dopamine enhancing drugs have this side effect. But addictive behaviours seem to be associated with the dopamine circuits of the brain. It is possible that the Parkinson's drugs stimulate these in some way.

Source
Archives of Neurology online 11th July 2005 (print September 2005)

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