Skip to main content
Log in

Certain predictions on the effectiveness of l-DOPA on parkinsonism

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Neurologie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Sixty nine patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with L-DOPA for more than a year. L-DOPA produced remarkable improvement in akinetic patients, moderate improvement in rigidity and slight improvement in tremor. The degree of improvement in akinesia, rigidity and tremor tended to be reversely related to the severity of the disease. Rigidity and akinesia improved better in young patients, but there was no correlation between age and the response of tremor to the treatment. Except for rigidity there was no correlation between the improvement and the duration of the disease.

Zusammenfassung

69 Parkinsonpatienten wurden während mehr als 1 Jahr mit L-DOPA behandelt. Es wurde dadurch bei akinetischen Patienten eine beachtliche, bei Patienten mit Rigor eine mäßige und bei Patienten mit Tremor eine geringfügige Besserung erreicht. Das Ausmaß der Besserung war in allen drei Formen um so geringer, je ausgeprägter die Symptome bei Behandlungsbeginn waren. Rigor und Akinesie sprachen bei jungen Patienten besser auf die Therapie an, aber es bestand keine Korrelation zwischen dem Alter der Patienten und der Beeinflußbarkeit des Tremors durch die L-DOPA-Therapie. Außer für den Rigor bestand keine Korrelation zwischen dem Ausmaß der Besserung und der Dauer der Erkrankung vor Behandlungsbeginn.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramsky, O., Lavy, S., Carmon, A.: A test of objective evaluation for motor performance in patients receiving L-DOPA for Parkinson's disease. J. neurol. Sci. 12, 105–108 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbeau, A.: L-DOPA therapy in Parkinson's disease. Critical review of nine years experience. Canad. med. Ass. J. 101, 791–800 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Birkmayer, W., Hornykiewicz, O.: Der 3–4 dioxyphenylalanin (DOPA) effect bei der Parkinsonakinase. Wien. klin. Wschr. 73, 783–788 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Calne, D. B., Spiers, A. S. D., Stern, G. M., Laurence, D. R.: L-DOPA in idiopathic parkinsonism. Lancet 1969 II, 973–976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotzias, G. C.: Levodopa in the treatment of parkinsonism. J. Amer. med. Ass. 218, 1903–1908 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotzias, G. C., Papavasilliou, P. S., Gellene, R.: Modification of parkinsonism: chronic treatment with L-DOPA. New Engl. J. Med. 280, 337–345 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • Editorial: Evaluation of levodopa for parkinsonism. J. Amer. med. Ass. 215, 1969–1972 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Godwin-Austen, R. B., Kantamanen, B. D., Curson, G.: Comparison of benefit from L-DOPA in parkinsonism with increase of amine metabolites in the CSF. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat. 34, 219–223 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  • Godwin-Austen, R. B., Tomlinson, E. B., Frears, C. C., Kok, H. W. L.: Effects of L-DOPA in Parkinson's disease. Lancet 1969 II, 165–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavy, S., Carmon, A., Abramsky, O., Feldman, S.: Evaluation of the therapeutic effects of l-Dopa in Parkinson's disease. Harefuah 79, 547–549 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mawdsley, C.: Treatment of Parkinsonism with levodopa. Brit. med. J. 1970 I, 331–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDowell, F., Lee, J. E., Swift, T., Sweet, R. D., Ogsburg, J. S., Dessler, J. T.: Treatment of Parkinson's syndrome with l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa). Ann. intern. Med. 72, 29–35 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Peaston, M. J. T., Bianchine, J. R.: Metabolic studies and clinical observations during L-DOPA treatment of Parkinson's disease. Brit. med. J. 1970 I, 400–403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rinne, U. K., Sonninen, V., Siirtola, T.: L-DOPA treatment in Parkinson's disease. Europ. Neurol. 4, 348–369 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, O. W., Messeloff, C. R., Schwartz, W. F.: Long term effects of levodopa in severity disabled patients. J. Amer. med. Ass. 213, 2270 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  • Yahr, M. D., Duvoisin, R. C., Schear, M. J., Barrett, R. E., Howhn, M. M.: Treatment of parkinsonism with levodopa. Arch. Neurol. (Paris) 21, 343–354 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lavy, S., Abramsky, O., Carmon, A. et al. Certain predictions on the effectiveness of l-DOPA on parkinsonism. Z. Neurol. 203, 271–278 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316184

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316184

Key words

Navigation