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Log inPathological gambling in Parkinson's disease
Pathological gambling in Parkinson's disease
by Admin on Fri May 23, 2008 12:48 pm
Patients often are in substantial debt before the problem isrecognised
Parkinson's disease is common. It is estimated to affect aroundone in 200 people in the developed world (between six and 11people per general practice in the United Kingdom).1 For manypatients, care is shared between general practitioners, geriatricians,general physicians, and neurologists, often alongside specialistnurses. Motor symptoms and signs of Parkinson's disease arewell recognised, yet the behavioural problems are less wellknown, particularly the recently described problems of pathologicalgambling and other addictive behaviours.2 3 4 5 6 7Pathologicalgambling is an impulse control disorder characterised by excessivegambling.8 The prevalence of pathological gambling in Parkinson'sdisease is about 3.4%, rising to 7.2% in patients taking dopamineagonists.6 In contrast, the lifetime prevalence of pathologicalgambling in the general population in the UK is 1%.9 It canbe associated with the presence of other compulsive disorderssuch as the compulsive use of dopaminergic drugs,4 compulsiveshopping, and hypersexuality.6 People who . . . [Full text of this article] Sui H Wong, neurology specialist registrar,
Malcolm J Steiger, consultant neurologist
Department of Neurology, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool L9 7LJ
BMJ
Parkinson's disease is common. It is estimated to affect aroundone in 200 people in the developed world (between six and 11people per general practice in the United Kingdom).1 For manypatients, care is shared between general practitioners, geriatricians,general physicians, and neurologists, often alongside specialistnurses. Motor symptoms and signs of Parkinson's disease arewell recognised, yet the behavioural problems are less wellknown, particularly the recently described problems of pathologicalgambling and other addictive behaviours.2 3 4 5 6 7Pathologicalgambling is an impulse control disorder characterised by excessivegambling.8 The prevalence of pathological gambling in Parkinson'sdisease is about 3.4%, rising to 7.2% in patients taking dopamineagonists.6 In contrast, the lifetime prevalence of pathologicalgambling in the general population in the UK is 1%.9 It canbe associated with the presence of other compulsive disorderssuch as the compulsive use of dopaminergic drugs,4 compulsiveshopping, and hypersexuality.6 People who . . . [Full text of this article] Sui H Wong, neurology specialist registrar,
Malcolm J Steiger, consultant neurologist
Department of Neurology, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Liverpool L9 7LJ
BMJ
