P.042 Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome in Parkinson’s Disease and its Management with Advanced Therapies

Background: Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome (DDS) is an adverse non-motor complication of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson’s Disease. The current literature on DDS is limited, and it remains underdiagnosed and challenging to manage. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review and classified patients according to risk factors that have been identified in the literature, UPDRS scores, intervention and outcome. Univariate analyses were performed to quantify these characteristics. Results: Prior psychiatric illness was identified in 70% of patients, impulse control disorder in 89% and substance abuse in 3.7%. Interventions included reduction of dopamine therapy (88.9%), deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN, 48.1%) or globus pallidus interna (GPi, 7.4%), and levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion (11.1%). Baseline UPDRS IV before treatment and MDS III after treatment were not significant between intervention groups (p=0.09 and p=0.13 respectively). Overall 88.9% patients improved at follow up, with medication only (75%), STN DBS (100%), GPi DBS (100%) and LCIG (33%). Relapse rate was 18.2%, in the STN group only. Conclusions: Our results suggest that GPi DBS, in concurrence with dopaminergic medication reduction, is the most effective intervention. STN DBS might be also beneficial although the associated medications reduction causes DDS relapse in a subgroup of patients.

Management of Brittle Dyskinesia and Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome in Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the most commonly performed interventional therapy for advanced Parkinson disease (PD). Subthalamic nucleus (STN) is the most common target for DBS implantation. It is established that STN microlesion effect can result in dyskinesia, usually indicating a good lead placement. At times, this dyskinesia may be severe and prolonged, and it may be exaggerated with DBS adjustments and with slight increase in dopaminergic therapy, which may require antidyskinetic medications temporarily to manage it. This is called brittle dyskinesia. It is important to be aware of this phenomenon for optimal management of this condition because this may result in significant morbidity despite proper lead placement and DBS programming. Also during DBS programming, high pulse width can adversely affect speech and gait. This chapter presents a case with brittle dyskinesia and speech impairment while discussing technical troubleshooting and clinical management.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment

SUMMARYHistorically, Parkinson's disease was viewed as a motor disorder and it is only in recent years that the spectrum of non-motor disorders associated with the condition has been fully recognised. There is a broad scope of neuropsychiatric manifestations, including depression, anxiety, apathy, psychosis and cognitive impairment. Patients are more predisposed to delirium, and Parkinson's disease treatments give rise to specific syndromes, including impulse control disorders, dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome and dopamine dysregulation syndrome. This article gives a broad overview of the spectrum of these conditions, describes the association with severity of Parkinson's disease and the degree to which dopaminergic degeneration and/or treatment influence symptoms. We highlight useful assessment scales that inform diagnosis and current treatment strategies to ameliorate these troublesome symptoms, which frequently negatively affect quality of life.

To do or don’t, to take or don’t take: STN-DBS therapy in young PD patient

Introduction. Parkinson's disease patients with impulse control disorders and dopamine dysregulation syndrome is increasingly recognized. There are reports that such disorders can sometimes be improved by using deep brain stimulation, but sometimes they can get worse. Case report. Our patient was a 30-year-old man with Parkinson's disease since the age of 23. The patient had motor fluctuations on the right with marked bradykinesia, bradymimia and rigidities in the off-periods. The patient's paraphilia and sexual indiscretions against women were apparent in the on-periods. The patient's eating habits were also changed. The patient underwent subthalamic nucleus-deep brain stimulation (STNDBS). Significant improvements were seen in the motor and behavior signs of the patient after this procedure had been performed. Conclusion. STN-DBS may be a reasonable option in patients with Parkinson's disease when unwanted dopaminergic side effects occur, and motor disorders and impulse control disorders cannot be improved with drugs.

Dopamine dysregulation syndrome induced by proxy

Dopamine dysregulation syndrome is a rare complication of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment. We present a 70-year-old woman with a long-standing PD and a clinical picture compatible with dopaminergic dysregulation, which was ultimately revealed to be induced by her companion. Patient’s exuberant choreiform dyskinesia led to a potential financial advantage when performed outside the hospital but excessive dopamine intake also occurred during hospital admission, without any obvious reward for the abuser. Even in cases where there is no place for a definitive diagnosis, deceptive behaviours must be identified as their management is based on psychological and social support in parallel to the adjustment of PD therapy.

Dopamine dysregulation syndrome in non-Parkinson’s disease patients: a systematic review

Objectives: To explore the presence of dopamine dysregulation syndrome in non-Parkinson’s disease patients receiving dopamine replacement therapy. Methods: Electronic searches were conducted of Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and PreMedline to capture articles related to dopamine misuse or factitious disorder combined with the presence of dopamine replacement therapy or a non-Parkinson’s disease population. In total, 430 articles were reviewed and studies that addressed dopamine dysregulation syndrome in non-Parkinson’s disease patients were included. Results: Nine case reports were identified. Conclusions: The pathophysiology underlying dopamine dysregulation syndrome has been thoroughly explored with numerous mechanisms posited. What remains unclear is whether dopamine dysregulation syndrome is a phenomenon specific to Parkinson’s disease, as indicated in the proposed diagnostic criteria. A more useful predictor of susceptibility to dopamine dysregulation syndrome may be temperamental traits such as novelty seeking and impulsivity, which overlap with predisposing factors for an addiction disorder.