Drugs for Parkinson’s Unleash Creativity in Some Patients

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on January 15, 2013

In a bad news, good news story, specialists from around the world are reporting Parkinsons disease patients are displaying new creative talents presumably as an offshoot of medications for their condition.

Medical therapy for Parkinsons disease includes drugs that increase the activity of dopamine in the brain to reduce tremors and muscle rigidity. Apparently these medications are having an unintentional creative side effect, enhancing an individuals artistic talents including painting, sculpting, writing, and more.

Prof. Rivka Inzelberg, M.D.,of Tel Aviv Universitys Sackler Faculty of Medicine first noticed the trend in her own Sheba Medical Center clinic when the usual holiday presents from patients typically chocolates or similar gifts took a surprising turn.

Instead, patients starting bringing us art they had made themselves, she said.

Inspired by the discovery,Inzelberg sought out evidence of this rise in creativity in current medical literature.

Bringing together case studies from around the world, she examined the details of each patient to uncover a common underlying factor all were being treated with either synthetic precursors of dopamine or dopamine receptor agonists. These drug regimens increase the amount of dopamine activity in the brain by stimulating receptors.

Dopamine is involved in several neurological systems,Inzelberg said.

Its main purpose is to aid in the transmission of motor commands, which is why a lack of dopamine in Parkinsons patients is associated with tremors and a difficulty in coordinating their movements.

However, dopamine is also involved in the brains reward system the satisfaction or happiness we experience from an accomplishment.

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Drugs for Parkinson’s Unleash Creativity in Some Patients