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Parkinson鈥檚 disease is a degenerative, progressive disorder that affects dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain. Patients with Parkinson鈥檚 typically have low brain dopamine concentrations, making treatments that boost dopamine levels in the brain a key treatment component.

Although treatments that increase dopamine levels in the brain are effective for most patients, about one in six develop impulse control behaviours. researchers have discovered how medications for Parkinson鈥檚 disease cause some patients to develop addictive behaviours such as problem gambling, binge eating, hypersexuality and excessive shopping.

The researchers discovered that brain structure interactions with dopamine-containing medication differed between those who developed addictive behaviours and those who did not. The research findings are published in the journal .

鈥淲e found people who developed these addictive behaviours differed in the way their brain structure interacted with dopamine-containing medication, which gave rise to the impulsive behaviour,鈥� said QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute lead researcher and St Andrews 黑料吃瓜群网 neuropsychiatrist Dr Phil Mosley.

鈥淣one of these people had a history of addictive behaviours before diagnosis and only developed them after they began treatment with dopamine replacement medications.

鈥淭here is currently no way of predicting which individuals are at risk of these terrible side effects.鈥�

reports that about 82,000 Australians live with Parkinson鈥檚 disease. While most people are diagnosed after the age of 65, around 18% are of working age.

Dr Mosley said the study recruited 57 people with Parkinson鈥檚 disease from St Andrews War Memorial 黑料吃瓜群网 in Brisbane, in collaboration with neurologist Professor Peter Silburn.

鈥淲e used an advanced method of brain imaging, called diffusion MRI, to reconstruct the connections between different regions of the brain, akin to developing an individualised brain 鈥榳iring鈥� diagram for each person in the study,鈥� Dr Mosley said.

鈥淲e asked our participants to gamble in a virtual casino, which gave us a readout of impulsive and risk-taking behaviour in real time.

鈥淏y combining data from brain imaging, behaviour in the virtual casino and the effect of dopamine replacement medication, we were able to identify people who were susceptible to impulse control behaviours.

鈥淢ore broadly, we found a clear link between the strength of the connections in the brain, within circuits that we think are crucial for making decisions and suppressing impulses, and impulsive behaviour, even in people without clinically significant impulse control behaviours.鈥�

Dr Mosley said the study findings indicate that brain imaging and computer-based testing could be used in the future to determine which individuals are at risk of developing these harmful behaviours when treated with dopamine replacement drugs.

鈥淭hese disorders are often a second blow to people and their families living with Parkinson鈥檚 disease. Some individuals suffer financial problems or relationship breakdowns because of these harmful behaviours,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e could offer targeted education to at-risk individuals, or adapt their treatment regimen to minimise the potential harms from these therapies.鈥�

The study鈥檚 co-author, Professor Michael Breakspear, said the findings could also have implications for other psychiatric conditions that are marked by impulsivity, such as alcohol and drug addiction as well as ADHD.

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/adimas