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Review Levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: etiology, impact on quality of life, and treatments. free! 2008
Encarnacion EV, Hauser RA. · Department of Neurology, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center, Scott and White National Parkinson Foundation Plummer Movement Disorders Center, Temple, TX, USA. · Eur Neurol. · Pubmed #18480609 links to free full text
Abstract: Levodopa is the most effective agent to alleviate motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease but its long-term use is associated with the development of dyskinesias. Although the pathogenic processes behind the development of levodopa-induced dyskinesias are still being elucidated, it appears that chronic administration of this short-lived agent results in nonphysiologic pulsatile stimulation of striatal neurons and abnormal firing patterns in the basal ganglia. Dyskinesias have been associated with decreased quality of life, and a number of methodologies to evaluate severity of dyskinesias are now available. Strategies to avoid, reduce, or eliminate dyskinesias include providing more continuous dopaminergic stimulation, administering an antidyskinetic agent, and surgery. Several new compounds that may provide an antidyskinetic effect are also under investigation.
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