Imaging impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease and their relationship to addiction

Established substance addictions and impulse control disorders (ICDs) such as pathological gambling share similar underlying neurobiology, and recent data extends these commonalities to the risk factors that increase an individuals' susceptibility to develop such behaviours. In Parkinson's disease (PD), impulse control disorders (ICDs) are increasingly recognised to develop after patients begin dopamine (DA) restoration therapy, in particular DA agonists. In both the PD and non-PD population, more impulsive individuals are at increased risk for impulse control disorders. Here, we review the neuroimaging data confirming the connection between addiction and ICDs, and revealing how DA agonists might cause specific alterations of basal ganglia and cortical function that vary as a function of an individuals' propensity for impulsivity.