October 2025

NEUROSCIENCES

CASE REPORT: NEW-ONSET PSYCHOSIS IN PATIENT WITH PARKINSON’S AFTER “HORNY GOAT WEED” USE

A recent case report from Northwestern Medicine presents the first documented instance of new-onset psychosis in a patient with Parkinson’s disease (PD) linked to the use of Horny Goat Weed (HGW) — a widely available over-the-counter supplement known for its purported aphrodisiac effects.
 
Highlights
  • Patient profile: A 59-year-old man with PD presented to the ED with acute paranoid delusions and disorganized behavior after one month of daily HGW use.
  • Clinical insight: The presentation resembled drug-induced psychosis, raising critical concerns about the neuropsychiatric risks posed by herbal supplements in neurologically vulnerable populations.
  • Practice implications: This case underscores the importance of routinely screening for supplement use in PD patients. Unregulated compounds like HGW may interact with dopaminergic therapies or independently trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms.
 
This report adds to the growing evidence that alternative therapies can have serious implications for neurologic care — and reinforces the need for comprehensive medication and supplement histories.
 
Read the full case report in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice
Juan Deliz Gonzalez, MD, Chief of Movement Disorders at Northwestern Medicine
Danielle N. Larson, MD, Assistant Professor of Movement Disorders at Northwestern Medicine
Danny Bega, MD, Associate Professor of Movement Disorders at Northwestern Medicine

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