Medication Given to Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Causes Orgasm: Experts

Rasagiline, a drug given to treat Parkinson's disease induces orgasm, warn experts.

Recently, a 42- year-old woman who was prescribed rasagiline complained of experiencing sexual arousal a week after taking the drug. The woman sought medical attention after she noticed repeated episodes of orgasm and increased sexual urge. She said each orgasm lasted for nearly 20 seconds and occurred at least five times per day.

The experts from the department of neurology at the Necmettin Erbakan University in Konya, Turkey, who were treating the patient for Parkinson's, say the most common side-effects of medication include flu-like symptoms and gastric troubles. Intake of the drug hikes up the release of neurotransmitter dopamine to the brain that stimulates areas related to pleasure and sexual arousal.

"Here we report a patient with early-onset Parkinson's disease who experienced spontaneous orgasms when taking Rasagiline; these were unwelcome and occurred in the absence of hypersexual behavior," the health researchers said in the study, reports the Independent.

The woman was not taking any other drugs at the time of her treatment. Sources say she discontinued the treatment for almost two weeks. However, the side effects returned right after she began taking her medications.

So far, clinical studies have not been able to confirm other possible effects of taking Rasagiline.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this adverse effect of rasagiline," the authors wrote in the study, reports the Belfast Telegraph.

More information is available online in the journal of Parkinsonsim and Related Disorders.