Treating Psychosis in Parkinson's Patients a Delicate Balancing Act for Physicians

Patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease face a wide range of physical ailments with their condition. One of the lesser addressed areas is the psychological aspects they face as well. Therapeutic alternatives are being developed to help treat psychosis in this particular patient group.

Jeffrey Cummings, MD, from the Cleveland Clinic discussed the effort to raise awareness about these two conditions during the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in Washington DC. Cummings said close to 50% of Parkinson's disease patients will "develop some psychotic phenomenon." In addition to the affect it has on the patient, Cummings said it also increases the burden on the patient's caregiver.