SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS IN PARKINSONS-DISEASE

Since the discovery in the early sixties of L-Dopa therapy in Parkinso n's Disease (PD), increasing attention has been drawn at the psychiatr ic side effects that may occur during treatment. Based on the phenomen ological criteria of psychiatric symptoms that are regularly seen in b oth treated and untreated PD patients, it can be stated that psychotic reactions should be classified among the group of exogenous psychoses . Concerning the pathophysiology, the suggested simple relationship be tween disturbances in dopamine neurotransmission and PD-psychotic reac tions can no longer be maintained; abnormalities in serotonin neurotra nsmission might be involved primarily in their pathophysiology. it is concluded that PD-psychotic states should be classified as pharmacotox ic psychoses under the heading of exogenous psychoses and that treatme nt of these disorders should be performed with serotonin-modulating co mpounds.