March 2012
Chiang
HL, Huang YS, Chen ST, Wu YR
Background and purpose: Recent studies have
suggested increased prevalence of impulsive/compulsive behaviors (ICB)
in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) as compared to general
population in different ethnic groups. The spectrum of these behaviors
includes dopamine dysregulation syndrome (DDS), punding, pathological
gambling (PG), hypersexuality (HS), binge eating (BE), and compulsive
shopping (CS).
Methods: Two
hundred and seventy-eight consecutive patients with idiopathic PD
regularly followed-up at an outpatient clinic were interviewed and
screened for the ICB between September 2008 and December 2008 using
designated diagnostic criteria. All patients who screened positive for
ICB or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were further confirmed by an
experienced psychiatrist.
Results:
Of all the studied patients, 15 patients confirmed to have ICB
(lifetime prevalence: 5.60%), 3 (1.12%) were diagnosed to have DDS, 1
(0.37%) punding, 4 (1.49%) PG, 8 (2.99%) HS, 1 (0.37%) BE, 0 (0%) CS.
OCD was found in one patient (0.37%).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of ICB is lower in Taiwan as compared with the
Caucasians, with similar risk factors. The possible reasons include
differences in ethnicity, environmental, cultural, and social factors as
well as the dosage and selection of dopaminergic medications.
