title: "Rational hope" in the early treatment of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The drug treatment of Parkinson's disease since the original description of the malady in 1817 is described. Consideration is given to the historic use of alkaloids of the belladonna, harmala, and aporphine families, and of amphetamine. The introduction of the L-dopa treatment is described. The modes of action of the various drugs employed in the past as well as those in current use are described in the context of knowledge of the functioning of the nigrostriatal tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada. MBD5@musica.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Sourkes
mesh_terms: D001058:Apomorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001060:Aporphines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006247:Harmine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001060:Aporphines; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D007980:Levodopa; D006247:Harmine; D001058:Apomorphine; C083807:bulbocapnine