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Advances in Research on Neurodegeneration pp 167–183Cite as

Arguments for the use of dopamine receptor agonists in clinical and preclinical Parkinson’s disease

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Part of the book series: Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa ((NEURAL SUPPL,volume 65))

Summary

On the basis of experimental studies which have demonstrated deleterious effects of L-DOPA (L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) in vivo and in vitro, it has been suggested that L-DOPA itself may contribute to the progression of Parkinson’s disease. This hypothesis is, for many clinicians, the rationale for postponing the employment of and reducing the applied dosage of L-DOPA and for beginning therapy with dopamine receptor agonists or the monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) inhibitor selegiline. Furthermore, clinical studies have demonstrated that early treatment with dopamine receptor agonists is associated with a lower incidence of motor fluctuations and dyskinesia. Dopamine receptor agonists exert their symptomatic effect by directly activating dopamine receptors, bypassing the presynaptic synthesis of dopamine and the degenerating nigro-striatal dopaminergic system. They can thus also be of benefit late in the therapy of the disorder. In addition, the pharmacological profile of dopamine receptor agonists suggests a possible neuroprotective effect. This paper reviews briefly the pharmacology of dopamine receptor agonists and basic knowledge concerning the dopamine receptor stimulation which underlies their therapeutic effect. Preclinical approaches for demonstrating neuroprotective effects and their clinical relevance are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Neurochemistry, Clinic for Child and Youth Psychiatry, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany

    Prof. Dr. M. Gerlach

  2. Clinical Neurochemistry, Clinic for Neurology, St Joseph’s Hospital, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany

    Prof. Dr. M. Gerlach

  3. Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia

    K. Double

  4. Department of Neurology, Medical School Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Germany

    H. Reichmann

  5. Clinical Neurochemistry, Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany

    P. Riederer

  6. Klinische Neurochemie, Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Füchsleinstrasse 15, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany

    Prof. Dr. M. Gerlach

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  1. Prof. Dr. M. Gerlach
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  2. K. Double
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  3. H. Reichmann
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  4. P. Riederer
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Neurobiotec, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany

    R. Horowski

  2. Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Y. Mizuno

  3. Department of Neurology, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    C. W. Olanow

  4. Department of Neurology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    W. H. Poewe

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany

    P. Riederer

  6. Neurodegenerative Disorders Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

    J. A. Stoessl

  7. Department of Pharmacology, Technion — Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    M. B. H. Youdim

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Gerlach, M., Double, K., Reichmann, H., Riederer, P. (2003). Arguments for the use of dopamine receptor agonists in clinical and preclinical Parkinson’s disease. In: Horowski, R., et al. Advances in Research on Neurodegeneration. Journal of Neural Transmission. Supplementa, vol 65. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0643-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0643-3_10

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