title: [Brain asymmetry and dopamine: beyond motor implications in Parkinson's disease and experimental hemiparkinsonism].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain asymmetry could be defined as the existence of functional, anatomic or neurochemical differences between both hemispheres. It is a dynamic phenomenon, regulated by endogenous and exogenous factors. Its functional significance is poorly clarified and is only partially understood in very specific cases such as the relationship between the lateralized brain content of dopamine and its motor effects which is specially patent in Parkinson's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The asymmetric brain content of dopamine not only displays lateralized motor effects but also behavioral and autonomic asymmetric consequences. In fact, Parkinson's disease is characterized not only by unilateral motor symptoms that arise at the early stages, but has other non-motor symptoms such as autonomic or cognitive alterations that are also revealed asymmetrically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brain asymmetry has been underestimated when analyzing the pathogeny of brain diseases and it has been partially studied only in some specific cases, such as Parkinson's disease. However, in order to appropriately understand some brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, the need to consider this phenomenon has been highlighted.
authors: Universidad de Jaen. Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, 23071 Jaen, Espana.
authors: A B
authors: AB
authors: Segarra
authors: Universidad de Jaen. Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, 23071 Jaen, Espana.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Banegas
authors: Universidad de Jaen. Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, 23071 Jaen, Espana.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Prieto
authors: Universidad de Jaen. Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, 23071 Jaen, Espana.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ramirez-Sanchez
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine