Does Parkinson medicine boost creativity?

Comment

Comment by lucia mesquita bleasby on February 24, 2013 at 8:27am

Saw this here in Brazil this story on TV .... newspaper ..... "Treatment for Parkinson can stimulate creativity"
A curious phenomenon has attracted the attention of specialists in Parkinson's disease: many patients treated with drugs that increase the activity of dopamine (a neurotransmitter responsible for promoting motivation) in the brain are developing creative talents in the fields of painting, sculpture and even writing . After gathering and analyzing case studies from around the world, individuals who showed that artistic creativity were treated with synthetic precursors of dopamine or dopamine agonists - medication that stimulates the receptors of the neurotransmitter. These treatments are usually employed to reduce tremors and muscle stiffness resulting from the disease. Among the paintings studied by the specialist is an architect who began drawing and painting human figures after treatment ... but a man who became poet awarded Is it possible that patients are expressing latent talents who never had the guts to show before. This is because dopamine is linked to reduced inhibitions, which would facilitate the exercise of creativity. "

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 16, 2013 at 5:52am

No, never. In fact I never even tasted alcohol and for that matter even tea and coffee.  You don't need any external assistance to do art.   In fact alcohol and drugs impair your thinking capabilities. Art is what that comes out of your thinking. Maybe they help in crafts but not real art. I am aware of artists especially, the singers and movie artists, taking drugs. But these people mechanically do what others ask them to do - the writers write songs and script. When the drugs and alcohol actually impair your thinking capabilities, how can they help in real creativity?

Are you a researcher?

Comment by Billiam James on February 15, 2013 at 6:01pm

Krishna,
There is a long history of artists using drugs (and alcohol) to unleash their creative firepower. Are you thinking of taking a little pramipexole or ropinirole to juice up your creative energy?
Billiam

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 15, 2013 at 5:46am

Thank you. But I am talking about the creative aspect. I can see a lot of work has been done on the one Dopamine dysregulation syndrome. More work needs to be done on creative effect of this drug to come to a conclusion. Two of my aunts too are  taking drugs for Parkinson's disease. After reading this I contacted them and asked them whether they have any side effects because of these medicines they are taking. They told me they have none! They were surprised when I told them about the research based on these drugs. I wonder why there is disparity in the effects. Maybe it depends on other aspects like the genes, food habits etc. too. Without taking all the aspects into  consideration, some results obtained in a part of the world cannot be treated as universal ones. What do you think?

Comment by Billiam James on February 14, 2013 at 9:26am

Hi Krisha,

We don't  more studies. "Dopamine dysregulation syndrome" is a well-known and documented side-effect of the medications used to treat Parkinson's disease. 

Look at these research papers from 10 years ago... 2003:

L-Dopa medication remediates cognitive inflexibility, but increases impulsivity in patients withParkinson's disease

Neuropsychologia, 2003 - Elsevier

... Abbreviations: PD, Parkinson's disease; CS, control subjects; n, sample size; NART IQ, premorbid
IQ as ... These results strongly suggest that DA may induce abnormal gambling behaviour in patients 

 

Compulsive use of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease: reward systems gone awry?

 The Lancet Neurology, 2003 - Elsevier Parkinson's disease with documented levodopa responsiveness Need for increased doses of DRT in ... 58–61), ≤1·4g; D (two); DBS (one), Alcohol (one); illegal drugs (one), Bipolar 

Pathological gambling associated with dopamine agonist therapy in Parkinson's disease

Neurology, 2003 -  Chronic dopamimetic drug addiction and pathologic gambling in patients with Parkinson's disease

Hedonistic homeostatic dysregulation in Parkinson's disease: a short screening questionnaire

Neurological 2003 - ... Behavioral disorders, such as pathological gambling [3], obsessional shopping, hypersexuality

And here are some current papers from 2012:

Addiction as aberrant learning—evidence from Parkinson's disease

Addiction, 2012 - Wiley Online Library

Addiction-like manifestations and Parkinson's disease: a large single center 9-year experience

International, 2012 -

Compulsive use of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease: insights into the neurobiology of addiction

 Addiction, 2012 - Wiley Online Library

So I'd say use at own risk...

Billiam

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on February 14, 2013 at 8:16am

Thanks for bringing this to my notice, Mr. James. The article says:

"This may be happening because pramipexole is highly selective for the receptors in the brain called the dopamine D3 receptors," Dodd said. "Those D3 receptors are highly concentrated in the limbic areas of the brain associated with emotions, behavior, reward, pleasure, and mood."

Seven patients developed pathological gambling habits within one to three months of treatment. Four others began compulsive gambling 12 to 30 months after starting the therapy.

At least six patients also developed other problems, including compulsive eating, increased alcohol use, and hypersexuality.

As the drug is effecting emotions too, in some it might lead to creative ideas and activity. This is just one case. More studies needed to come to a conclusion.

Comment by Billiam James on February 14, 2013 at 2:39am

I admire people who are creative, especially older people... But this is just drug company PR trying to compensate for the all the bad new about Parkinson Meds which -- because it reduces the inhibition and self=control -- can lead to very destructive behavior like compulsive gambling and worse...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0712_050712_parkins...

Comment by Irit Hakim-Keller on February 13, 2013 at 10:05am

I work with old people - some of them have physical disabilities due to  illness - and still are creative. most of them had not  been creative in their youth time   I can never stop admiring them.  

Comment by Georgescu Dan on February 13, 2013 at 7:59am

It is a good idea. Creation is an act of divine liked.