A case report of remarkable improvement of motor disturbances with L-dopa in a patient with post-diffuse axonal injury.
A 9-year-old girl with rigidospastic quadriplegia as post-traumatic sequela was reported. The distribution of lesions observed on a MRI implied diffuse axonal injury; involvement of the substantia nigra was also detected. L-Dopa administration was remarkably effective for relief of the rigidity. As a result, she became able to walk on her knees and communicate by writing letters. L-Dopa administration should be considered for patients who show rigidity as sequela of diffuse axonal injury with involvement of the substantia nigra.
Koeda
T
T
Division of Child Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan. koeda@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Takeshita
K
K
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007980:Levodopa