PARKINSON ASSOCIATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
  • PANC Home
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Medical Advisory Panel
    • Privacy Policy
    • Annual Report & 990's
  • Contact Us
  • About Parkinson's
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Recently Diagnosed
    • PD Carepartners
    • Clinical Trials
    • Exercise!
    • Helpful Resources
    • PD Webinars & Classes
    • Guide to Specialist
    • Articles
  • Ways to Support
    • Donate Online
    • Donate by Mail or Phone
    • CAREPARTNER RESPITE SUPPORT
    • Be A Sustaining Donor
    • Planned Giving
    • Donate a Vehicle
    • AmazonSmile
    • Become a Support Group Facilitator
    • Other Ways to Give
  • Español
    • Sobre PANC
    • Clases y recursos
  • Programs/Support Groups
    • Support Groups
    • Respite Care
    • Parkinsonwise
    • Parkinsonwise Trained Professionals
    • Rebuilding Together
  • Newsletter
  • PD classes/events
    • Brian Grant Foundation December 2022 Classes
    • Davis Phinney Foundation -PD self 2023, Webinair series , Every Victory counts & many more
    • Family Caregiver Alliance Webinairs - Dec 22--Jan 23
    • Michael J Fox Foundation -1/19/23 Eating to Boost Brain Health
    • Parkinson 's Foundation Webinars, and events
    • Parkinson Voice Project - Speech exercises Daily 8 AM Info session 2nd Tu
    • PD Active Calendar of exercise, dance, singing & speech classes and support groups
    • PMD Alliance - Online and In person classes and support groups
    • World Parkinson Coalition Research spotlight 22, Sing-A-Long 12/14 WPC 23-7/4-7/7
  • DONATE
Picture
Parkinson’s Disease Related Psychosis
By Nicklesh Thakur, D.O., Sutter Medical Group

  
Hallucinations and delusions are typically thought to be associated with illnesses like schizophrenia, but are also a frequent complication of Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is estimated that psychosis will affect over 50% of people with PD and is more common with longer duration of disease, dementia, and older age. There is a variety of symptoms seen in psychosis and is triggered by medications (dopaminergic, narcotics, benzodiazepines, etc.), underlying infections or metabolic disturbances (delirium) or dementia.
Hallucinations involve a person seeing or hearing something that is actually not there. Visual hallucinations are most common in PD, which can involve seeing people or animals while awake during the day, evening, or at night. Delusions are false beliefs or illogical views that are not based in reality, which typically involves accusing spousal infidelity or fear of being poisoned.  Other symptoms of psychosis include illusions (mistaking an object for something else) or false sense of presence (feeling someone is close by when no one is there). 

 The initial step in diagnosing the cause of PD psychosis involves ruling out other conditions like infections (pneumonia or UTI) or metabolic disturbance (electrolyte imbalance). If testing is negative, then PD medications must be adjusted since psychosis can occur as a side effect. Medication reduction or elimination will usually improve the psychosis, but may lead to worsening motor symptoms. We will then have to use antipsychotic medications, which are typically used for mood disorders like schizophrenia by blocking dopamine receptors. They are considered off-label therapies for PD psychosis and may also worsen motor symptoms due to dopamine blockade. Clozapine (clozaril) and quetiapine (seroquel) are atypical antipsychotics that are most commonly used since they are less likely to make motor symptoms worse. The limitations to quetiapine includes minimal efficacy seen in research trials and side effects of sleepiness. In comparison, Clozapine is highly effective, but has a rare life threatening side effect called agranulocytosis (the drug attacks the bone marrow), so it is rarely used due to weekly blood monitoring.

On April 29, 2016, Pimavanserin (Nuplazid) was the first medication approved by the FDA for PD psychosis. Pimavanserin has a novel mechanism of action by acting on the serotonin receptors instead of dopamine, so it improves psychosis and does not worsen motor symptoms like the antipsychotics. It has also been shown to improve nighttime sleep, daytime wakefulness, and reduction in caregiver burden. Pimavanserin is an exciting new therapy since PD psychosis often
leads to loss of independence, increase in caregiver burden, and nursing home placement. 

​Parkinson Path JULY 2016

​Our Mission

​​The Parkinson Association of Northern California is an organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with Parkinson's, their families, and care partners throughout our region. 
La Asociación de Parkinson del Norte de California se dedica a mejorar la vida de las personas con Parkinson, sus familias y los compañeros de cuidado. 

​Contacts

Email: panc@panctoday.org
Mailing Address:
Parkinson Association of Northern California
1024 Iron Point Road, #1046
​Folsom, CA 95630
​

Phone: (916) 357-6641
If you'd like more information please call the office 
Si le gustaría obtener más información por favor llame ​a la oficina.
Donate
PANC Brochure
Newsletter sign up

Copyright © 2020 Parkinson Association of Northern California. All rights reserved.
​PANC is a 501(c)(3)   Tax ID #68-0372037
  • PANC Home
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Medical Advisory Panel
    • Privacy Policy
    • Annual Report & 990's
  • Contact Us
  • About Parkinson's
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Recently Diagnosed
    • PD Carepartners
    • Clinical Trials
    • Exercise!
    • Helpful Resources
    • PD Webinars & Classes
    • Guide to Specialist
    • Articles
  • Ways to Support
    • Donate Online
    • Donate by Mail or Phone
    • CAREPARTNER RESPITE SUPPORT
    • Be A Sustaining Donor
    • Planned Giving
    • Donate a Vehicle
    • AmazonSmile
    • Become a Support Group Facilitator
    • Other Ways to Give
  • Español
    • Sobre PANC
    • Clases y recursos
  • Programs/Support Groups
    • Support Groups
    • Respite Care
    • Parkinsonwise
    • Parkinsonwise Trained Professionals
    • Rebuilding Together
  • Newsletter
  • PD classes/events
    • Brian Grant Foundation December 2022 Classes
    • Davis Phinney Foundation -PD self 2023, Webinair series , Every Victory counts & many more
    • Family Caregiver Alliance Webinairs - Dec 22--Jan 23
    • Michael J Fox Foundation -1/19/23 Eating to Boost Brain Health
    • Parkinson 's Foundation Webinars, and events
    • Parkinson Voice Project - Speech exercises Daily 8 AM Info session 2nd Tu
    • PD Active Calendar of exercise, dance, singing & speech classes and support groups
    • PMD Alliance - Online and In person classes and support groups
    • World Parkinson Coalition Research spotlight 22, Sing-A-Long 12/14 WPC 23-7/4-7/7
  • DONATE