Features associated with the development of hallucinations in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Objective: To identify features related to the development of hallucinations in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Materials and methods: Seventy PD patients with hallucinations (group 1) and 60 PD patients without hallucinations (group 2) were evaluated for disease severity, presence of motor complications, rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder (RBD), and antiparkinsonian drug profile. The ages at the emergence of hallucinations and duration of disease in group 1 were matched with the ages at the last visit of those in group 2.

Results: Disease severity and presence of motor complications were similar in both groups. RBD was more frequently encountered among hallucinators than among non-hallucinators (P = 0.007). The mean duration and daily doses of levodopa and other dopaminergic drugs did not differ in both groups; however, the usage of anticholinergics and amantadine were significantly more frequent in group 2, unexpectedly.

Conclusions: The presence of RBD was significantly more common in hallucinators; however, severity of PD, duration and daily doses of dopaminergic drugs were not associated with the emergence of hallucinations.