Biomaterial Database

Influence of dopamine and disease severity on primitive reflexes in Parkinson's disease. 1989

S J Huber, and G W Paulson

Department of Neurology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.

Several primitive reflexes are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but can also be noted in patients who have diffuse cerebral degeneration. The glabellar response is present in virtually all patients with PD and this reflex has been of theoretical interest in PD. It has been suggested that the glabellar response is related to inhibition via dopamine pathways. We examined changes in several primitive reflexes as a function of the plasma dopamine level and the severity of PD. The probability of observing these reflexes did not vary with dopamine levels, but the corneomandibular and palmomental reflexes were significantly more likely to be present in patients with advanced disease. Our findings confirm that primitive reflexes are prominent in PD and suggest that they may be secondary to extrapyramidal disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010300	Parkinson Disease	A progressive, degenerative neurologic disease characterized by a TREMOR that is maximal at rest, retropulsion (i.e. a tendency to fall backwards), rigidity, stooped posture, slowness of voluntary movements, and a masklike facial expression. Pathologic features include loss of melanin containing neurons in the substantia nigra and other pigmented nuclei of the brainstem. LEWY BODIES are present in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus but may also be found in a related condition (LEWY BODY DISEASE, DIFFUSE) characterized by dementia in combination with varying degrees of parkinsonism. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1059, pp1067-75)	Idiopathic Parkinson Disease,Lewy Body Parkinson Disease,Paralysis Agitans,Primary Parkinsonism,Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease,Lewy Body Parkinson's Disease,Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic,Parkinson's Disease,Parkinson's Disease, Idiopathic,Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body,Parkinsonism, Primary
D012018	Reflex	An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D004298	Dopamine	One of the catecholamine NEUROTRANSMITTERS in the brain. It is derived from TYROSINE and is the precursor to NOREPINEPHRINE and EPINEPHRINE. Dopamine is a major transmitter in the extrapyramidal system of the brain, and important in regulating movement. A family of receptors (RECEPTORS, DOPAMINE) mediate its action.	Hydroxytyramine,3,4-Dihydroxyphenethylamine,4-(2-Aminoethyl)-1,2-benzenediol,Dopamine Hydrochloride,Intropin,3,4 Dihydroxyphenethylamine,Hydrochloride, Dopamine
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000367	Age Factors	Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time.	Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor