Session Information
Date: Thursday, June 23, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Clinical trials, pharmacology and treatment
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To study patients with Parkinson´s disease (PD) and enhanced creativity related to dopaminergic therapy.
Background: Impulse control disorders (ICD) including pathological gambling, hypersexuality, and compulsive shopping have been related with dopaminergic treatment especially dopamine agonists (DA). On the other hand, enhanced creativity, usually associated to artistic production, may emerge in patients with PD during dopaminergic therapy. ICD is very well recognized but enhanced creativity is under reported, probably because in contrast to ICD, enhanced creativity is usually (not always) positive and rarely disruptive for the patient and relatives.
Methods: We studied 21 patients (20 patients with PD and one patient with restless legs syndrome) with enhanced creativity, engaged in positive activities that began AFTER dopaminergic treatment (All but one patients were treated with DA including pramipexole 14/21; ropinirole 4/21 or rotigotine 2/21). Most PD patients (mean age: 66±14; evolution in years: 7.7 ± 3 years) had motor complications including motor fluctuations (14/20), dyskinesias (12/20) and freezing of gait (6/20).
Results: Most patients preferred painting as main activity, but many were engaged in several activities, usually in combination. Some patients began their artistic production after meeting with other subjects already engaged in artistic activities. Table 1 summarizes the main clinical data and activities.
| SUBJECT | AGE /SEX | YEARS | MOTOR COMPL | LD | DOPAMINE AGONIST | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 69/M | 10 | F GF D | + (+R) | ROP | PAINTING, SCALE MODELS, WOODWORK |
| 2 | 70/M | 8 | GF | + (+R) | PRM | SCALE MODELS |
| 3 | 74/M | 10 | F GF | + | PRM | GARDENING |
| 4 | 75/M | 8 | F | + (+R) | PRM | PAINTING |
| 5 | 67/F | 3 | – | + (+R) | PRM | PAINTING, DANCE, THEATRE |
| 6 | 53/F | 5 | D | + (+E) | – | PAINTING |
| 7 | 71/M | 5 | F D | + (+R) | ROT | GARDENING |
| 8 | 80/M | 12 | – | + | PRM | CARVING, ENGRAVING |
| 9 | 60/M | 12 | F | + (+R) | PRM | SCALE MODELS |
| 10 | 80/M | 8 | F GF | + (+R) | PRM | PAINTING |
| 11 | 82/F | 10 | – | – | PRM | PAINTING |
| 12 | 41/M | 6 | F D | + | PRM | MUSIC |
| 13 | 70/M | 3 | F D | + (+R) | ROP | SCALE MODELS |
| 14 | 47/F | 5 | F D | + | PRM | TRINKETS, NECKLACES |
| 15 | 75/M | 3 | – | + | PRM | PAINTING |
| 16 | 93/M | 12 | F D | + | ROT | PAINTING |
| 17 | 66/M | 5 | F D | + | PRM | NAVIGATION CHARTS |
| 18 | 75/M | 11 | F GF D | + (+R) | ROP | PAINTING |
| 19 | 42/M | 7 | F GF D | + (+R E) | PRM | PAINTING |
| 20 | 69/M | 10 | F D | + | ROP | WRITING |
| 21 | 43/M | 9 | F D | + | PRM | PAINTING, WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY |
Conclusions: Our hypothesis is that procuring a rich and stimulating environment to patients with PD may contribute to the appearance of this positive and under-reported phenomenon.
Presented in part at the annual Spanish Neurological Society Meeting (Valencia November 2015).
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
P.J. Garcia Ruiz, J.C. Martinez Castrillo, L. Vela. Creativity related to dopaminergic treatment. A multicenter study [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/creativity-related-to-dopaminergic-treatment-a-multicenter-study/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/creativity-related-to-dopaminergic-treatment-a-multicenter-study/