Dopamine agonist-induced substance addiction: the next piece of the puzzle

Abstract

Traditional antiparkinson treatment strategies strive to balance the antiparkinson effects of dopaminergic drugs with the avoidance of motor response complications. Dopamine agonists have an established role in delaying the emergence of motor response complications or reducing motor "off" periods. The recent recognition of a range of "behavioural addictions" that are linked to dopamine agonist use has highlighted the role of dopamine in brain reward function and addiction disorders in general. Dopamine agonists have now even been linked occasionally to new substance addictions. The challenge now for the Parkinsonologist is to also balance the net benefits of using dopamine agonists for their motor effects with avoiding the harm from behavioural compulsions.