Among patients with early Parkinson’s disease, impulse control behaviors (ICBs) are common in the early stages of the disease, with a significant proportion having symptoms of subsyndromal impulse control disorders (ICDs), according to study findings published in Neurology.
The study was designed to describe risk factors, natural history, and prevalence for ICBs among patients with Parkinson’s disease and REM sleep behavior disorder.
Participants were longitudinally screened for ICBs using the Questionnaire for Impulsivity in Parkinson Disease Short Form at baseline, and every 18 months. Individuals found to have ICBs underwent semi-structured interviews with a follow-up 1 year later. ICB severity was assessed using the Parkinson Impulse Control Scale; associations and prevalence were estimated using multiple imputation and regression models.
