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Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Novelty seeking behaviour in Parkinson's disease
Atbin Djamshidian1, Sean S O'Sullivan, Bianca C Wittmann
1Department of Molecular Neuroscience and Reta Lila Weston Institute for Neurological Studies, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Neuropsychologia
|May 14, 2011
Summary
Parkinson's disease patients with impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs) show heightened novelty seeking. This attraction to novelty appears to be an inherent trait, independent of dopaminergic medication status in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Novelty seeking is a complex trait associated with both creativity and addictive behaviors.
- Impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs) are a known complication in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- The relationship between novelty seeking and ICBs in PD requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novelty seeking behavior in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with and without impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs).
- To determine if medication status influences novelty seeking in PD patients.
- To compare novelty seeking between PD patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a three-armed bandit task with occasional novel stimuli to assess participants' propensity for selecting novelty.
- Tested 25 non-impulsive PD patients, 27 PD patients with ICBs, and 24 healthy controls.
- Evaluated all participants both on and off dopaminergic medication in a counterbalanced order.
Main Results:
- PD patients with ICBs demonstrated a significantly higher tendency to select novel stimuli compared to non-impulsive PD patients and healthy controls.
- This increased attraction to novelty in PD patients with ICBs was observed irrespective of their dopaminergic medication status.
- No significant differences in novelty seeking were found between non-impulsive PD patients and healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- Attraction to novelty is a stable personality trait in PD patients experiencing ICBs.
- This trait is independent of dopaminergic medication, suggesting a potential underlying neurobiological difference.
- Findings contribute to understanding the distinct behavioral profiles within the PD population.
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