Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome - Signs and Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms

The most common symptom is craving for dopaminergic medication. However other behavioral symptoms can appear independently of craving or co-occur with it. Craving is an intense impulse of the subject to obtain medication even in the absence of symptoms that indicate its intake. To fulfill this need the person will self-administer extra doses. When self administration is not possible aggressive outbursts or the use of strategies such as symptom simulation or bribery to access additional medication can also appear.

Hypomania, manifesting with feelings of euphoria, omnipotence, or grandiosity, are prone to appear in those moments when medication effects are maximum; while dysphoria, characterized by sadness, psychomotor slowing, fatigue or apathy; are typical with DRT withdrawal. Different impulse control disorders have been described including gambling, compulsive shopping, eating disorders and hypersexuality. Behavioral disturbances; most commonly aggressive tendencies are the norm. Psychosis is also common. Another possible symptom is punding, repetition of complex motor behaviors such as collecting or arranging objects.