NEUROPSYCHIATRIC ISSUES IN PARKINSON DISEASE (PD) PATIENTS: CLINICAL FEATURES AND GENETICS PREDISPOSITION Editorial Note Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common and bothersome to both the Parkinson Disease (PD) patients and their caregivers. They can be classified into four groups: affective disorder, psychosis, cognitive dysfunction and impulse control disorder. In this mini-review, we will offer an overview of neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD patients and discuss if there is a genetic predisposition to these psychiatric symptoms. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the second commonest neurodegenerative disease in the world affecting both the motor and non-motor domains (Figure 1). In general, it affects 1% of the population above 60 years of age [1]. Even though motor symptoms remain the cardinal features of the disease, it is known that PD patients have a wide spectrum of non-motor symptoms. Barone have reported that almost all the PD patients have at least one non-motor symptoms, with psychiatric symptoms as the most frequent nonmotor symptom (67%) [2]. Similar findings were described in the Australian group. [3,4] According to the 15-year Sydney multicentre Study of PD, cognitive decline was observed in 84% of PD patients whereas depression and hallucination were seen in half of the cohort [3]. In the 20-year followup study of the same cohort, visual hallucination and dementia were present in 74% and 83%, respectively [4]. Eventually, these neuropsychiatric symptoms lead to a reduction in the dopaminergic medication dosage, as well as, an addition of psychiatric medications (such as anti-psychotics and cholinesterase inhibitors), and hence attribute to a decline in motor function, loss of independence, institutionalization and mortality.
Parkinson Disease ; Psychiatry