An interesting new study carried out by researchers in France has revealed that people living with Parkinson’s disease who take Levodopa as treatment could run into complications with unusual side effects.
The popular treatment, which is one of the main drugs used to treat Parkinson’s symptoms in the UK, can be used throughout all stages of the condition. It works by ‘replacing’ levels of dopamine in the brain – an organic chemical which is often lost in Parkinson’s disease patients.
However, new research from the Sorbonne University in Paris suggests that some Levodopa users could find themselves struggling with ‘compulsive behaviours’ as a side effect of taking the drug.
Specifically, the study suggests that there is a link between the drugs and an ‘inability to control’ certain irresistible urges – which could range from compulsive gambling and shopping to binge-eating.
The news comes after the University’s researchers followed 411 volunteers over the course of three years to examine their symptoms. Some subjects were regularly taking Levodopa to treat their Parkinson’s, while others were not.
The researchers found that, of those patients that were using the popular medication, more than half (52 per cent) ran into problems with compulsive behaviour during the three-year period.
Among those who were not taking the drug, however, just 12 per cent were affected by so-called ‘uncontrollable urges’.
Interestingly, the research also found that those taking higher doses of the dopamine-inducing drug appeared to be more likely than others to be at risk of developing ‘impulse control disorders’.
Enviva Care provides managed care in the home for people living with Parkinson’s disease. To find out more about our services, contact us today.
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