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Imaging impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s disease and their relationship to addiction

  • Neurology and Preclinical Neurological Studies - Review Article
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Abstract

Established substance addictions and impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as pathological gambling share similar underlying neurobiology, and recent data extends these commonalities to the risk factors that increase an individuals’ susceptibility to develop such behaviours. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), impulse control disorders (ICDs) are increasingly recognised to develop after patients begin dopamine (DA) restoration therapy, in particular DA agonists. In both the PD and non-PD population, more impulsive individuals are at increased risk for impulse control disorders. Here, we review the neuroimaging data confirming the connection between addiction and ICDs, and revealing how DA agonists might cause specific alterations of basal ganglia and cortical function that vary as a function of an individuals’ propensity for impulsivity.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP 110962). A.P.S. is also supported Canada Research Chair program and E.J. Safra Foundation. N.J.R is supported by the Parkinson Society Canada.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorder Unit, E.J. Safra Parkinson Disease Program, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Nicola J. Ray & Antonio P. Strafella

  2. Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto Western Hospital and Institute, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada

    Nicola J. Ray & Antonio P. Strafella

  3. Division of Brain, Imaging and Behaviour—Systems Neuroscience, Toronto Western Research Institute, UHN, University of Toronto, ON, Toronto, Canada

    Nicola J. Ray & Antonio P. Strafella

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  1. Nicola J. Ray
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  2. Antonio P. Strafella
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Correspondence to Antonio P. Strafella.

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Ray, N.J., Strafella, A.P. Imaging impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s disease and their relationship to addiction. J Neural Transm 120, 659–664 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0933-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0933-5

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