Parkinson's drugs can cause gambling and compulsive sexual behaviour

As many as 1 in 6 people who take dopamine agonists – drugs for Parkinson's disease – may show extreme changes to their behaviour, including obsessive gambling or compulsive sexual activity, researchers have found. What do we know already? Parkinson's disease happens when brain cells stop making enough of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical messenger that helps carry signals through the brain and nervous system. Without enough dopamine, muscles don't get messages from the brain, such as those telling them to move. That's why people with Parkinson's disease have problems with movement. Sometimes they may not be able to move when they want to, or their hands may shake. As the disease progresses, people often have problems walking. Treatments for Parkinson's disease focus on replacing the missing dopamine. The main drug used is called levodopa, but it usually stops working after about five years. It also has...

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