Cognitive Stress Reduces the Effect of Levodopa on Parkinson's Resting Tremor.

CONCLUSION: Cognitive stress reduces the levodopa effect on Parkinson's tremor. This effect may be explained by a stress-related depletion of dopamine in the basal ganglia motor circuit, by stress-related involvement of nondopaminergic mechanisms in tremor (e.g., noradrenaline), or both. Targeting these mechanisms may open new windows for treatment. Clinical tremor assessments under evoked cognitive stress (e.g., counting tasks) may avoid overestimation of treatment effects in real life.
PMID: 28071873 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics - January 9, 2017 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Zach H, Dirkx MF, Pasman JW, Bloem BR, Helmich RC Tags: CNS Neurosci Ther Source Type: research