title: Plasma levodopa, dopamine and therapeutic response following levodopa therapy of Parkinsonian patients.
abstract: In a double blind placebo controlled study of 6 Parkinsonian patients given a single dose of oral levodopa, the plasma levodopa and dopamine as measured by a radioenzymatic method both correlated with clinical improvement. There was a closer correlation with plasma dopamine than with plasma levodopa and it is proposed that peripheral decarboxylation may reflect central decarboxylation.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa; D004298:Dopamine