Chapter Thirty-Five Nonmotor Effects of Conventional and Transdermal Dopaminergic Therapies in Parkinson's Disease

Publication date: 2017 Source:International Review of Neurobiology, Volume 134 Author(s): Ryul Kim, Beomseok Jeon Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) are an integral component of Parkinson's disease (PD). Because the burden and range of NMS are key determinants of quality of life for patients and caregivers, their management is a crucial issue in clinical practice. Although a range of NMS have a dopaminergic pathophysiological basis, this fact is underrecognized, and thus, they are often regarded as dopamine unresponsive symptoms. However, substantial evidence indicates that many NMS respond to oral and transdermal dopaminergic therapies. In contrast, certain NMS are exacerbated or even precipitated by dopaminergic drugs and these unwanted effects may be seriously dangerous. Therefore, a dopaminergic strategy for NMS should be based on a consideration of the benefits vs the risks in individual patients with PD.
Source: International Review of Neurobiology - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research