Blink reflex in Parkinson's disease with levodopa-induced dyskinesia.
We have studied the electrically evoked blink reflex (R1 and R2 components) in 40 parkinsonian patients with levodopa-induced dyskinesia (15 with facial dyskinesia, 13 with limb-truncal dyskinesia and 12 with mixed dyskinesia). R2 latencies (both ipsilateral and contralateral) were significantly prolonged in dyskinetic patients. These findings are indicative of decreased excitability of brainstem interneurones in the dyskinetic parkinsonians. We found no correlation between the neurophysiological pattern of blink reflex and the localization of dyskinesia.
Iriarte
L M
LM
Department of Neurology, Ciudad Sanitaria Virgen del Rocio, Sevilla, Spain.
Chacon
J
J
Madrazo
J
J
Chaparro
P
P
D000368:Aged; D001767:Blinking; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time
D007980:Levodopa