Behavioral disturbances in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex and often involves addressing behavioral changes in addition to the movement disorder. Patients with PD are susceptible to any psychiatric condition seen in the general population; some disorders, such as depression and anxiety, may result from PD-related neuropathological changes. Medicationrelated hallucinations are seen in many PD patients who are treated with dopaminergic agents for motor symptoms. Cognitive impairment is also seen and can be multifactorial. Treatment of behavioral symptoms in PD can greatly improve patients" overall function and quality of life. As surgical interventions to treat motor symptoms, such as deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus of the substantia nigra, become more prevalent, the behavioral effects of these procedures must also be addressed.