Locus Coeruleus Degeneration Correlated with Levodopa Resistance in Parkinson's Disease: A Retrospective Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The widely divergent responsiveness of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to levodopa is an important clinical issue because of its relationship with quality of life and disease prognosis. Preliminary animal experiments have suggested that degeneration of the locus coeruleus (LC) attenuates the efficacy of levodopa treatment.

Objective

To explore the relationship between LC degeneration and levodopa responsiveness in PD patients in vivo.

Methods

Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI), a good indicator of LC and substantia nigra (SN) degeneration, and levodopa challenge tests were conducted in 57 PD patients. Responsiveness to levodopa was evaluated by the rates of change of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III score and s

SUBMITTER: Zhou C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8609680 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature