Hallucinations in Patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease develop symptoms of the hallucination-psychosis spectrum in more than 20%. Most common are visual hallucinations. The pathogenesis of hallucinations mainly depends on disease duration, the distribution and extent of alpha-synuclein pathology, and modulating effects of the dopaminergic therapy. When managing PD hallucinations both anti-delirogenic actions and medication management are important. However, decrease in dopaminergic medication may lead to critical worsening of akinesia. If appropriate neuroleptic medication - essentially quetiapin or clozapin - can be considered. Instead, anti-dopaminergic neuroleptics should not be used owing to their pro-akinetic side-effects. Here, we provide therapy recommendations to manage PD hallucinations based on an up-to-date targeted review of the literature and expert-based empirical evidence.