Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) sometimes experience symptoms affecting their movement, such as slowness, tremor, stiffness, and balance or walking problems. Many patients also have other symptoms not related to movement, called non-motor symptoms, which may affect one's mood or emotions, memory or thinking, or cause one to see or hear things that aren't real (hallucinations) or believe things that aren't true (delusions). Hallucinations or delusions, together called psychosis, occur in up to 60% of PD patients at some point in time. Parkinson's disease psychosis can sometimes be associated with decreased quality of life, increased nursing home placement, increased rate of death, and greater caregiver burden. There are approximately 50,000 Veterans with Parkinson's disease receiving care in the VA, and up to 30,000 (60%) of them will experience psychosis at some point in time. Quetiapine is an antipsychotic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that is the most commonly used medication to treat PD psychosis, but more studies are needed to determine if it works for this condition and is also well tolerated and safe. Pimavanserin is a newer antipsychotic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically to treat PD psychosis, but more studies are needed to determine if it works and its safety. The purpose of this research is to gather additional information on the safety and effectiveness of both Quetiapine and Pimavanserin. By doing this study, the investigators hope to learn which of these medications is the most effective course of treatment for people with PD psychosis.
Parkinson's Disease Psychosis
Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) sometimes experience symptoms affecting their movement, such as slowness, tremor, stiffness, and balance or walking problems. Many patients also have other symptoms not related to movement, called non-motor symptoms, which may affect one's mood or emotions, memory or thinking, or cause one to see or hear things that aren't real (hallucinations) or believe things that aren't true (delusions). Hallucinations or delusions, together called psychosis, occur in up to 60% of PD patients at some point in time. Parkinson's disease psychosis can sometimes be associated with decreased quality of life, increased nursing home placement, increased rate of death, and greater caregiver burden. There are approximately 50,000 Veterans with Parkinson's disease receiving care in the VA, and up to 30,000 (60%) of them will experience psychosis at some point in time. Quetiapine is an antipsychotic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that is the most commonly used medication to treat PD psychosis, but more studies are needed to determine if it works for this condition and is also well tolerated and safe. Pimavanserin is a newer antipsychotic drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically to treat PD psychosis, but more studies are needed to determine if it works and its safety. The purpose of this research is to gather additional information on the safety and effectiveness of both Quetiapine and Pimavanserin. By doing this study, the investigators hope to learn which of these medications is the most effective course of treatment for people with PD psychosis.
Pimavanserin vs. Quetiapine for Treatment of Parkinson's Psychosis
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Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Tucson, AZ, Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85723-0001
VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, Loma Linda, California, United States, 92357-1000
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304-1207
San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, San Francisco, California, United States, 94121-1563
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA, West Los Angeles, California, United States, 90073-1003
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045
North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL, Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32608-1135
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, Hines, Illinois, United States, 60141-5000
Lexington VA Medical Center, Lexington, KY, Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40502-2235
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48105
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.
For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.
40 Years to
ALL
Yes
VA Office of Research and Development,
Daniel Weintraub, MD, STUDY_CHAIR, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
2026-08-24