title: Recent advances in pharmacological therapy of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The discovery of a selective striatal dopamine deficiency in Parkinson's disease has led to dopamine replacement therapies including L-DOPA, dopamine full and partial agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors. The development of new compounds and alternative methods of drug delivery may be able to overcome the long-term side effects of the established therapies. Overactivity of central glutamatergic systems appears to be important in the pathophysiology of the disorder and provides the rationale for the use of glutamate antagonists. Recent studies emphasize the significance of oxidative stress and free radical formation in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Future research will focus on improvements in neuroprotective therapy to prevent or slow the rate of progression of the disease. Possible neuroprotective strategies include selective MAO-B inhibitors, iron chelators, and free radical scavengers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurochemistry, University Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riederer
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Youdim
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015103:Droxidopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009243:NAD / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D009243:NAD; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007980:Levodopa; D015103:Droxidopa