'Dopamine agonist Phobia' in Parkinson's disease: when does it matter? Implications for non-motor symptoms and personalized medicine.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Dopamine agonists have been widely used to treat patients with Parkinson's disease, but concerns related to their well-known side effects might prevent their use even when indicated. In this review, the authors describe for the first time the concept of 'Dopamine Agonist Phobia', a pharmacophobia that the authors believe might affect clinicians, and they provide evidence of the benefits of dopamine agonists, focusing on non-motor symptoms.

AREAS COVERED:

The authors performed an extensive literature research, including studies exploring the use of dopamine agonists for the treatment of non-motor symptoms. The authors indicate the highest level of evidence in each section.

EXPERT OPINION:

'Dopamine Agonist Phobia' may preclude valid therapeutic options in selected cases, specifically for the treatment of non-motor symptoms. Thus, the authors propose a personalized approach in Parkinson's disease treatment, and encourage a thoughtful use of dopamine agonists, rather than an overall nihilism.

• Authors: Silvia Rota, Iro Boura, Lucia Batzu, Nataliya Titova, Peter Jenner, Cristian Falup-Pecurariu, K Ray Chaudhuri
• Journal: Expert review of neurotherapeutics (Expert Rev Neurother) Vol. 20 Issue 9 Pg. 953-965 (09 2020) ISSN: 1744-8360 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32755243 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Dopamine Agonists

Topics

• Dopamine Agonists (therapeutic use)
• Drug Prescriptions
• Humans
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy)
• Practice Patterns, Physicians'