Hallucinations and parkinsonian motor fluctuations

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Fernandez, W. | Stern, G. | Lees, A.J.^;

Affiliations: University College and Middlesex Hospital School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Mortimer Street, London W1N 8AA, UK

Note: [] Correspondence to: A.J. Lees, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK

Abstract: Thirty patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing hallucinations during long-term treatment were compared with 20 parkinsonian patients without hallucinations. No differences were found in the duration of disease, L-dopa treatment or disease severity between the two groups. The hallucinators however, were significantly older and more cognitively impaired. Visual hallucinations occurring only during “off periods of immobility” were relatively common and improved concurrently with parkinsonian disabilities after L-dopa. Although visual hallucinations were commonest auditory hallucinations occurred in one third of the hallucinators.

Keywords: Hallucinations, Parkinson's disease

DOI: 10.3233/BEN-1992-5203

Journal: Behavioural Neurology, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 83-86, 1992