Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome

Dopamine dysregulation syndrome is a rare disorder that develops in some people with Parkinson's disease. These patients intentionally take excessive doses of their medication in an addictive fashion and commonly show issues with self-control.

Identification

• Also called hedonistic homeostatic dysregulation, dopamine dysregulation syndrome is an irregularity of the brain's reward system. It results from lengthy dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's patients.

Symptoms

• Common clinical signs include compulsive gambling, shopping, eating or sexual behavior. A frequent symptom is punding, or repetitively performing a useless task such as sorting and lining up objects.

Medications

• Parkinson's disease is most commonly treated with levodopa, which the body converts to dopamine. The disease also can be treated with dopamine receptor agonists such as bromocriptine, which have similar actions as dopamine.

Brain Effects

• In a 2006 study led by the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge and published in the Annals of Neurology, researchers compared brain dopamine release in Parkinson's patients with the syndrome and those without it. Individuals who showed the greatest craving for their medication showed the highest levels of dopamine release.

Personality Traits

• The MRC study found increased levels of a personality trait associated with risk taking in patients with dopamine dysregulation syndrome. Patients with the syndrome also showed greater motivation for money reward in addition to drug reward.