Biomaterial Database

Levodopa responsiveness in disorders with parkinsonism: a review of the literature. 2007

Radu Constantinescu, and Irene Richard, and Roger Kurlan

Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, USA.

A literature review was conducted to investigate whether or not levodopa (LD) responsiveness (LR) is a useful criterion in the diagnosis of parkinsonian disorders. Although LR does appear to differ among the parkinsonian disorders, there is considerable confusion in the literature. While most patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a sustained benefit from LD, a small minority of patients with documented PD do not respond. The literature suggests that the LR rate is higher for multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) than based on published diagnostic criteria. Magnitude and duration of response to LD and tolerability (time course, type and distribution of dyskinesias, mental effects and motor worsening) may be useful features in distinguishing PD, MSA, PSP, and CBD. Efforts should be directed toward better defining LR when used for diagnostic purposes and in scientific publications.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007980	Levodopa	The naturally occurring form of DIHYDROXYPHENYLALANINE and the immediate precursor of DOPAMINE. Unlike dopamine itself, it can be taken orally and crosses the blood-brain barrier. It is rapidly taken up by dopaminergic neurons and converted to DOPAMINE. It is used for the treatment of PARKINSONIAN DISORDERS and is usually given with agents that inhibit its conversion to dopamine outside of the central nervous system.	L-Dopa,3-Hydroxy-L-tyrosine,Dopaflex,Dopar,L-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine,Larodopa,Levopa,3 Hydroxy L tyrosine,L 3,4 Dihydroxyphenylalanine,L Dopa
D004502	Education, Medical, Continuing	Educational programs designed to inform physicians of recent advances in their field.	Medical Education, Continuing,Continuing Medical Education,Education, Continuing Medical
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000978	Antiparkinson Agents	Agents used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The most commonly used drugs act on the dopaminergic system in the striatum and basal ganglia or are centrally acting muscarinic antagonists.	Antiparkinson Drugs,Antiparkinsonian Agents,Antiparkinsonians,Agents, Antiparkinson,Agents, Antiparkinsonian,Drugs, Antiparkinson
D020734	Parkinsonian Disorders	A group of disorders which feature impaired motor control characterized by bradykinesia, MUSCLE RIGIDITY; TREMOR; and postural instability. Parkinsonian diseases are generally divided into primary parkinsonism (see PARKINSON DISEASE), secondary parkinsonism (see PARKINSON DISEASE, SECONDARY) and inherited forms. These conditions are associated with dysfunction of dopaminergic or closely related motor integration neuronal pathways in the BASAL GANGLIA.	Autosomal Recessive Juvenile Parkinsonism,Familial Juvenile Parkinsonism,Parkinsonian Syndrome,Parkinsonism,Parkinsonism, Experimental,Parkinsonism, Juvenile,Ramsay Hunt Paralysis Syndrome,Autosomal Dominant Juvenile Parkinson Disease,Autosomal Dominant Juvenile Parkinsonism,Autosomal Dominant Parkinsonism,Autosomal Recessive Juvenile Parkinson Disease,Autosomal Recessive Parkinsonism,Chromosome 6-Linked Autosomal Recessive Parkinsonism,Experimental Parkinson Disease,Experimental Parkinsonism,Experimental Parkinsonism, MPTP-Induced,Familial Parkinson Disease, Autosomal Recessive,Juvenile Parkinson Disease,Juvenile Parkinson Disease, Autosomal Dominant,Juvenile Parkinson Disease, Autosomal Recessive,Juvenile Parkinsonism, Autosomal Dominant,Juvenile Parkinsonism, Autosomal Recessive,MPTP-Induced Experimental Parkinsonism,Parkinson Disease 2,Parkinson Disease 2, Autosomal Recessive Juvenile,Parkinson Disease Autosomal Recessive, Early Onset,Parkinson Disease, Autosomal Dominant. Juvenile,Parkinson Disease, Experimental,Parkinson Disease, Familial, Autosomal Recessive,Parkinson Disease, Juvenile,Parkinson Disease, Juvenile, Autosomal Dominant,Parkinson Disease, Juvenile, Autosomal Recessive,Parkinsonian Diseases,Parkinsonian Syndromes,Parkinsonism, Early Onset, with Diurnal Fluctuation,Parkinsonism, Early-Onset, With Diurnal Fluctuation,Parkinsonism, Juvenile, Autosomal Dominant,Parkinsonism, Juvenile, Autosomal Recessive,Chromosome 6 Linked Autosomal Recessive Parkinsonism,Diseases, Experimental Parkinson,Dominant Parkinsonism, Autosomal,Experimental Parkinson Diseases,Experimental Parkinsonism, MPTP Induced,Experimental Parkinsonisms,Juvenile Parkinsonism,Juvenile Parkinsonism, Familial,Juvenile Parkinsonisms,MPTP Induced Experimental Parkinsonism,Parkinson Diseases, Experimental,Parkinsonism, Autosomal Dominant,Parkinsonism, Autosomal Recessive,Parkinsonism, Familial Juvenile,Parkinsonism, MPTP-Induced Experimental,Parkinsonisms, Experimental,Parkinsonisms, Juvenile,Recessive Parkinsonism, Autosomal