Friday, July 20, 2012

Q: What is Dopamine dysregulation syndrome? 

 Answer: It is an interesting syndrome, may seen on people on long term Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) like Levadopa in Parkinson's Disease. It is characterized by addiction to DRT medication (taking extra doses), gambling, hypersexuality, shopping, eating disorder, euphoria, psychosis etc. marked by periods in between of dysphoria, sadness, psychomotor slowing, fatigue, apathy etc., reulting from DRT withdrawal. One interesting symptom during euphoria phase is punding, repetition of complex motor behaviors such as collecting or arranging objects. 

Management is drug dose stratification.

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