Mechanisms Underlying Impaired Impulse Control in Parkinson's Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Creating a Systems-level Model of the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Impaired Impulse Control in Parkinson’s Disease
IRAS ID
328075
Contact name
Aliya Warden
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Aside from typical movement symptoms, individuals with Parkinson’s disease also have an increased risk of developing impulse control disorders, such as pathological gambling, hyper-aggression and binge eating.
Dopamine medications remain the best method to treat motor symptoms, such as tremor, but are the greatest risk factor for impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s. These behaviours can present severe negative implications for people affected by Parkinson’s and their families, yet there is currently no reliable way to identify individuals who are at risk of developing an impulse control disorder.
The purpose of this study is to examine new measures at the level of the muscle and brain to reveal sensitive markers of impaired inhibitory control that might indicate a higher risk of developing impulse control disorders. Participants’ performance on a cognitive-motor task will be investigated. During this task, several measures of muscle and brain activity will be taken, involving non-invasive recording of brain electrical activity, muscle recording, and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.
To isolate the effects of the disease pathology from the effects of dopamine medication on impulse control, we will recruit 3 study groups:
- Healthy older adults (control group)
- Individuals with PD who are not yet taking medication
- Individuals with PD who are taking ropinirole as a part of their medicationsREC name
South East Scotland REC 02
REC reference
23/SS/0106
Date of REC Opinion
6 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion