Drugs typically prescribed to people with Parkinsons disease could turn them into gamblers and sex addicts, a study has suggested.
Researchers say they have discovered a link between the drugs and lower impulse control in sufferers, meaning they could be at risk of side-effects that include binge eating, gambling, frequent shopping and compulsive sexual behaviour.
The study, carried out by researchers at Sorbonne University in Paris, found that up to half of those taking the drugs may be affected by lower self-control.
Around 127,000 people in the UK are living with the disorder, which affects the bodys central nervous system.
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The degenerative condition causes cells in the brain to degrade over time, preventing the body from creating enough dopamine to control movement properly.
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It is commonly treated with levodopa, an amino acid that binds with brain receptors to produce more dopamine in the body.
The study analysed 411 patients who had been diagnosed with Parkinsons for around three years.
They were asked questions about their behaviour when it came to shopping and gambling.
Shockingly, those who used dopamine agonists were more likely to have compulsive habits.
52% of users said they had struggled with addictive behaviour compared to just 12% of those who did not use the drug.
People who used higher doses of drugs like pramipexole and ropinirole had highest risks of developing the disorders.
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The compulsive behaviour stopped in 30 sufferers after they had stopped taking the drug, indicating that the disorders could be reversed after a short period of time.
The studys author Dr Jean-Christophe Corvol wrote in a Neurology publication: Our study suggests that impulse control disorders are even more common than we thought in people who take dopamine agonists.
These disorders can lead to serious financial, legal and social and psychological problems.
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