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what does the actual study say? where was it published? i can't find it. what screen did they use to classify the behavior? did the people have any other risk factors for gambling, for example depression or substance abuse? 10.3% sure does sound like a lot, but then again, a study using the South Oaks Gambling screen found a prevalence of pathological and problem gambling (there is a difference, you know) of 7% in Louisiana - waaaaaay back in 1995 (the prevalence of gambling disorders has gone up significantly since then.)(Wager, Volume 1, Issue 4, January 23, 1996) and there at the very end of today's article, look what the fellow at Gamblers Anonymous says: "We have seen a doubling of our membership in Scotland in the last 18 months,and a lot of this has been due to a big surge in online gambling." hmmm... i wonder what that did to the prevalence of problem gambling in the general population - and how a prevalence of 10.3% compares to that... didn't it say earlier in the article that 10.3% was twice the general prevalence? i wonder when that general prevalence was estimated, and based on what population, because prevalences vary widely from country to country and even state to state... as it happens, i have been doing quite a lot of research on pathological gambling, and lo i found a publication called Wager (Weekly Addiction Gambling Education Report) which is published by the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School. The WAGER is made possible by the National Center for Responsible Gaming, through the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders, and the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. and here is what THEY had to say about Dodd's study (that would be the 2005, or second study, as i am fond of calling it - the one that i have been beating my head against a wall trying to get people to see that without the size of the population taking Mirapex, it is *meaningless*) : "In the Dodd et al. study, only eleven cases of self-reported PG were identified in two full years of treating Parkinson’s patients. The authors did not report how many patients were seen during that time, or how many patients received DA treatment. Presumably, for a clinic that specializes in Parkinson’s disease, 11 patients reflects a very low prevalence rate." "In addition, as the authors did not routinely ask patients about PG, we do not know the prevalence of PG among Parkinson’s patients who were not taking a DA. Therefore, the rate of PG prevalence among these patients might not differ from the rate in the general adult population. Although anecdotal or case-based evidence can suggest important research questions, only studies with certain characteristics (e.g., random assignment of subjects to groups, standard treatment within groups, a comparison group without treatment, and sufficient numbers of subjects) can identify the source of an observed phenomenon and rule out other factors, including chance, as an explanation." "Further, the Dodd et al. article overstates its conclusion – that “DA drugs appear to be uniquely implicated as a cause of pathological gambling” (Dodd et al., 2005, p. 1381)." (Wager, Volume 11, Number 1 - January 18, 2006) and THAT study was publicized from here to kingdom come as having found a causal association, so i hope anyone out there who is debating whether or not to take a DA and is concerned about this alleged side effect will actually do some research rather than swallowing what is splashed acrosss the internet hook, line and sinker, and be sure to research the alternative, levodopa, as well, because there is no one out there debating the seriousness or inevitability of its side effects. then you can make a decision informed by what the studies *actually* say or don't say rather than the hype that is being generated by this oh so sexy topic. "M.Schild" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: Amazing Side-Effect By LYNDSAY MOSS, Scotsman 16/9/06 Sep 16, 2006, 10:05 DRUGS used to treat patients suffering from Parkinson's disease are turning some of them into pathological gamblers. A study of patients in the West of Scotland found that more than 10 per cent of those taking dopamine agonists to treat their condition had developed a problem with gambling. Many went from spending only a few pounds a week before taking the drugs to forking out hundreds, or even thousands, on horses, scratch cards and internet betting sites. One 71-year-old man lost a five-figure sum gambling on the internet. The research team from Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, led by Dr Katherine Grosset, said patients given the drugs should be made aware of the potential side effects. Their study looked at 251 Parkinson's patients taking different drug combinations. Of that total, 16 patients, all of whom had been taking the dopamine agonists, reported excessive gambling. This meant that 10.3 per cent of those prescribed the drugs were thought to be problem gamblers. "This classifies the problem as very common, according to EU guidelines," the researchers said. "All patients prescribed dopamine agonists should be made aware of this potential adverse effect, as it usually diminishes on dopamine agonist discontinuation." One patient in the study went from spending about £10 a week on gambling before taking the drugs, to spending £1,500 on the internet and interactive TV. Another, who spent £30 a week before treatment, went on to spend £1,300 on horse racing and football bets. And one 65-year-old woman spent £4,000 on the internet and scratch cards. Bingo, roulette and slot machines were also common forms of gambling used by patients. Parkinson's patients have reduced levels of dopamine - a chemical that relays messages between brain cells - and may be given drugs to mimic its effects. Low dopamine levels cause the classic symptoms of muscle rigidity and tremor in sufferers. But dopamine is also known to play a role in helping the brain to recognise and seek sources of pleasure - the basis of addiction. Anecdotal reports have suggested that taking dopamine agonists may also cause alcoholism or sex addiction. However, changing over to other treatments usually stops the problem. Dr Kieran Breen, the director of research at the Parkinson's Disease Society, said the Scottish research was one of the first studies to try to assess the extent of the link between gambling addiction and dopamine agonists. "Dopamine is involved in reward and mood," he said. "Some people's brain chemistry might make them more susceptible to the effects of dopamine agonists, meaning they may develop gambling problems or other addictions." He said the charity was funding research to find out if these addiction problems could be avoided in Parkinson's patients. "We must make people aware that this may be a side effect because there are other drugs they could take if they are having problems," Dr Breen said. Robert Brown, a psychologist from Glasgow, said a person's environment meant they might react differently to the drugs. If they had easy access to gambling, this could mean they were more likely to gamble than to turn to drink or drugs," he said. "There is a tradition of gambling across the whole of Scotland, with more gamblers per head of population than in England and Wales. But people on these drugs could equally turn to alcohol or other ways of finding arousal or escape." A spokesman for Gamblers Anonymous in Scotland said people with Parkinson's might be more at risk from internet gambling because it was easy to access without leaving home. "We have seen a doubling of our membership in Scotland in the last 18 months and a lot of this has been due to a big surge in online gambling. "Making it easy for people to gamble means they no longer have to go out to betting shops or dog tracks. "But this can also mean that the problem remains hidden for longer," he said. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn --------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.