Drug-induced parkinsonism
Certain medications can cause Parkinson-like symptoms by interfering with dopamine signalling in the basal ganglia. Since the substantia nigra is not damaged in this case, this form is referred to as medication-induced parkinsonism—also known as drug-induced parkinsonism.
Symptoms
Antipsychotics are often the main culprits. When a patient takes sedatives to treat hallucinations and delusions, they may develop a dopamine deficiency. This also depends on the dosage. Parkinson-like symptoms can appear immediately or after some time.
Treatment
Drug-induced parkinsonism occurs most often in older adults. Sensitivity to developing this form of parkinsonism varies from person to person. In most cases, the symptoms disappear once the medication is stopped or the dosage is reduced. Patients with antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism generally respond well to Levodopa and dopamine agonists.
