Study shows Parkinson's treatment carries risk of compulsive disorders

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that dopamine agonist drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease can increase the risk of four compulsive disorders, according to a report released Wednesday.

A team from the university looked at 3,090 people with Parkinson’s and followed them for six months. It found that those who took dopamine agonists were at twofold to threefold risk of compulsive gambling, shopping, sex and binge eating. The results were presented Wednesday at the Movement Disorder Society’s 12th International Congress on Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, in Chicago.

Dopamine agonists include ropinirole, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Requip, pramipexole, marketed by Boehringer-Ingelheim as Mirapex.