Approaches for treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease: a narrative review

Abstract

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are highly prevalent and profoundly disabling, often emerging even before the onset of motor symptoms. As the disease progresses, these symptoms usually become increasingly impairing and are now recognized as having the greatest impact on quality of life not only for patients but also for caregivers. In recent years, there have been significant advances in the diagnosis and management of neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, there are still substantial gaps in therapeutic approaches and algorithms, with limited pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options currently available. One of the main reasons for this is the complex molecular and neural bases of these symptoms, which involve both dopaminergic and nondopaminergic neurotransmission systems and extend far beyond the nigrostriatal pathway. As a result, the drugs currently recommended for treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD are few and supported by limited evidence. In this context, the experience of the treating neurologist remains critical in selecting the most appropriate individualized therapy. The aim of this paper is to review the available therapeutic options and provide an overview of current research efforts, particularly those focusing on pharmacological treatments.