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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
Published on: April 28, 2007
Problems arising during chronic treatment with L-dopa for Parkinson's disease: changes in response to treatment
Abstract:
Some aspects of the problems of long-term L-dopa treatment syndrome are reviewed, with special attention to the changes in response to treatment with dopaminergic agents, specifically end-of-dose deterioration, the on-off phenomenon and hyperkinesia. The various hypotheses for interpreting these are presented, with particular stress on changes in the function of DA-ergic receptors. It is concluded that the on-off phenomenon is probably related to changes in plasma L-dopa levels and to decreased stores of intraneural dopamine.
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