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Dopamine agonists can improve pure apathy associated with lesions of the prefrontal-basal ganglia functional system

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Abstract

Apathy is a common neurobehavioral symptom of other syndromes or a syndrome per se which occurs in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Apathy depends on disruption of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functions. Six brain-damaged patients were assessed, including five patients with unilateral or bilateral focal lesions of the basal ganglia or the thalamus (showing apathy due to an auto-activation deficit) and one patient with bilateral lesions in the limbic temporomesial cortex associated with a form of emotional-affective apathy. A significant and persistent improvement of apathy was observed in all patients after treatment with dopamine agonists such as pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine. These results confirm preliminary reports on the beneficial effects of dopamine agonist agents on apathy and suggest that this syndrome can be treatable in many cases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Camillo-Forlanini, Circonvallazione Gianicolense 87, 00152, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Blundo & Carmela Gerace

  2. Department of Human Health, LUMSA University, Piazza Delle Vaschette 101, 00193, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Blundo

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  1. Carlo Blundo
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  2. Carmela Gerace
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Correspondence to Carlo Blundo.

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Blundo, C., Gerace, C. Dopamine agonists can improve pure apathy associated with lesions of the prefrontal-basal ganglia functional system. Neurol Sci 36, 1197–1201 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-2061-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-014-2061-5

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