title: Motor complications associated with chronic levodopa therapy in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Fluctuations and dyskinesias are the 2 main motor complications associated with chronic levodopa therapy. Striatal denervation following degeneration of the substantia nigra dopaminergic projections is probably the major pathophysiologic mechanism underlying motor fluctuations. In addition, pathologic modification of striatal receptors, partially related to the nonphysiologic delivery of levodopa in a discontinuous pulsatile mode, may be responsible for the various types of dyskinesias and sudden "off" episodes. Drugs capable of providing a stable dopaminergic stimulation should be particularly useful for preventing the development of motor complications in patients not yet treated. At the other end of the clinical spectrum, patients with complex fluctuations are the least likely to improve with slow-release levodopa preparations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Clinica Universitaria, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Obeso
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grandas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaamonde
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Luquin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Artieda
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lera
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martinez-Lage
mesh_terms: D003704:Dementia / Q000139:chemically induced; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa