PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT AND PERSONALITY TRAITS IN ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS IN PARKINSON DISEASE

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease; it is the second most widespread neurodegenerative disease with an annual incidence of 10-20 cases over 100000. PD is characterize by Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms. Another problem related to PD is the onset of addictive behaviors. Recent studies have shown that a percentage between 13.6 and 30% of patients develop addictive behaviors (AB). The aim of this study to verify the presence of AB in PD and whether AB can be ascribed to pharmacological treatment or specific personality traits, such as Impulsiveness, Sensation Seeking and Novelty Seeking. Took part in the study: 84 patients with Parkinson Disease recruited from Policlinico Umberto I in Rome. After they completed the SHORTER PROMISE QUESTIONNAIRE (to assess AB) they were divided into: Patients with PD and low scores of AB (PD-NoA; N=49; M/F=37/12; years:66.4; SD=8.6); Patients with PD and high scores of AB (PD-A; N=35; M/F=29/6; years:65.4; SD=8.8); group of healthy people with low scores of AB (HP; N=55; M/F=34/21; years:63.9; SD=7.5). All partecipants completed: -Raven Progressive Matrices to assess IQ;-MMSE to assess cognitive condition;-The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), The Sensation Seeking Scale-V and the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Personality Questionnaire for the assessing of personality traits; -Beck Depression Inventory-II and Symptom CheckList-90R were used for controlling psychopathological conditions. For patients with PD, information was collected regarding the age of onset and severity of PD, through Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scales and HY index, the side and the type of PD onset, and pharmacological therapyò Results showed higher in PD-A,than the other groups, in cognitive impulsivity (F2,136=4.70; p=0.04; η2=0.08) disinhibition (F2,136=4.06; p<0.05; η2=0.08. The PD-A presented higher scores in Behavioural Inhibition System (F2,136=3,76; p=0.04; η2=0.09) which activation entails the engagement of risky behaviours. PD-A showed generally worse psychopathological and mood condition than both PD-NoA and HP. The conclusion oof this study were: addiction behaviours in PD could depend on specific personality traits; a generally worse psychological condition associated with the disorder; they did not seem to depend on the treatment or on the pathological condition of the PD.