Mirapex, generic version known as pramipexole dihydrochloride, is a medication that affects the dopamine in certain areas of a person's brain. As such, Mirapex is primarily prescribed to treat patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, although it has been prescribed for a few other medical conditions, as well, including Restless Leg Syndrome, for which Mirapex is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medication. By the end of 2004, Mirapex was used by about 18% of Parkinson's Disease patients. Since its approval in 1997, thousands of consumers who took Mirapex have claimed that the drug caused them to embark upon unusually compulsive behaviors such as gambling and eating disorders. In the vast majority of these cases, the consumer who took Mirapex and developed these behaviors had no prior history of compulsive or addictive behavior. However, it was not until 2005 that the drug manufacturer added warnings to Mirapex labels about the potential for addictive or compulsive behaviors.