title: Suppression of dyskinesias in advanced Parkinson's disease. II. Increasing daily clozapine doses suppress dyskinesias and improve parkinsonism symptoms.
abstract: We gave increasing daily doses of clozapine to six patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) and levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Clozapine reduced the daily dyskinesia time five-fold, increased "on" time eight-fold, and doubled the serum [DOPA] producing half-maximal dyskinesia. Parkinsonism scores after overnight DOPA withdrawal improved with increasing daily clozapine intake, and there was no clozapine dose-related shift in levodopa dose response for relief of parkinsonism. Patients experienced sedation, sialorrhea, and orthostatic hypotension. Clozapine appears to be an effective agent for suppression of levodopa-induced dyskinesias in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville 22908.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Landow
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Schuh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003024:Clozapine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D003024:Clozapine