Effect of a synthetic norepinephrine precursor, L-threo-3,4- dihydroxyphenylserine on the total norepinephrine concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of parkinsonian patients.
We studied the effect of a synthetic norepinephrine precursor, L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-threo-DOPS) on the total (conjugated and unconjugated) norepinephrine concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 6 parkinsonian patients with freezing phenomenon. The total norepinephrine concentrations in the CSF increased from 5- to 75-fold after treatment with L-threo-DOPS. The degree of increase in the norepinephrine (NE) concentrations was closely correlated to the dosage of L-threo-DOPS. The freezing phenomenon improved in 3 out of 6 patients.
Tohgi
H
H
Department of Neurology, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
Abe
T
T
Takahashi
S
S
Takahashi
J
J
Ueno
M
M
Nozaki
Y
Y
D002230:Carbidopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015103:Droxidopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
D007980:Levodopa; D015103:Droxidopa; D002230:Carbidopa; D009638:Norepinephrine