Preliminary evidence of safety following administration of L-DOPA and buspirone in an incomplete monoplegic patient.
METHODS
Case report.


OBJECTIVE
To report a case where a monoplegic patient received L-DOPA and/or buspirone. These compounds, normally used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and anxiety respectively, were recently shown to induce spinal locomotor network activity and reflex stepping-like movements in animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the safety of these drugs as potential treatments for Central Pattern Generator (CPG) activation in paralyzed individuals remain unclear.


METHODS
St-Jean-Chrysostome, Quebec, Canada.


METHODS
The acute effects induced by these compounds were qualitatively assessed by the patient, a 38-year-old man who underwent surgery 17 years ago to remove an intracavernous angioma located at the mid-thoracic level (T5-T6) of the spinal cord.


RESULTS
Self-administration every 2 days of L-DOPA (200, 400 and 600 mg, p.o.) and buspirone (5, 10 and 15 mg, p.o.) either separately or combined led to no atypical side effects (that is, occasional sleepiness, nervousness, insomnia or mild headaches). No movement was induced ipsilaterally although some sensations referred to by the patient as an increased blood flow in the lower back and upper leg regions were reported shortly after administration of the combined treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show no significant side effects following acute administration of L-DOPA and/or buspirone. This constitutes the first report providing preliminary evidence of safety following administration of these drugs in incompletely paralyzed individuals. The sensations of increased blood flow ipsilaterally with the combined treatment may also suggest that the dose regimen was not optimal or sub-threshold for inducing detectable CPG-mediated leg movements.
CHUL Research Center, Neuroscience Unit, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Pierre.guertin@crchul.ulaval.ca
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Guertin
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Brochu
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002065:Buspirone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020787:Central Nervous System Venous Angioma / Q000601:surgery; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D007980:Levodopa; D002065:Buspirone