Hallucinations and parkinsonian motor fluctuations

Thirty patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing hallucinations during long-term treatment were compared with 20 parkinsonian patients without hallucinations. No differences were found in the duration of disease, L-dopa treatment or disease severity between the two groups. The hallucinators however, were significantly older and more cognitively impaired. Visual hallucinations occurring only during "off periods of immobility" were relatively common and improved concurrently with parkinsonian disabilities after L-dopa. Although visual hallucinations were commonest auditory hallucinations occurred in one third of the hallucinators.