Binge Eating in Parkinson's Disease: Prevalence, Correlates and the Contribution of Deep Brain Stimulation

Of 96 Parkinson's disease patients surveyed at the University of Florida Movement Disorders Center, one (1%) met diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder. Eight (8.3%) exhibited subthreshold binge eating. Psychometric criteria classified problem gambling in 17.8%, hoarding in 8.3%, compulsive buying in 11.5%, hypersexuality in 1.0%, and mania in 1.0% of patients. More overeaters met psychometric criteria for at least one additional impulse-control disorder (67% versus 29%). No more overeaters than non-overeaters were taking a dopamine agonist (44% versus 41%). More overeaters had a history of subthalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS; 44% versus 14%). History of DBS was the only independent predictor of overeating. (The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 2011; 23:56-62)