What are the causes and symptoms of impulse control disorders?
The exact causes of impulse control disorders are not fully understood as of 2004. Individuals who have had serious head injuries, however, can be at a higher risk for developing impulse control disorders, as are those with epilepsy. Some cases of impulse control disorders appear to be side effects of general medical conditions. As of 2004, several groups of researchers have noted that some older adults with Parkinson’s disease become compulsive gamblers as the disease progresses. It is thought that this gambling behavior is a side effect of dopaminergic drugs, as it does not respond to standard treatments for compulsive gambling but only to changes in the patient’s medication. Another medical condition that is associated with impulse control disorders is carcinoid syndrome. In one group of 20 consecutive patients with the syndrome, 75% met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for one or another impulse control disorder. The researchers attribute the connection to the high levels of serotonin (a
