Brain · 1985 · 104 citations · 0 references
MedicineNeurosciencePharmacologyNeuropharmacologyNeurophysiologyPharmacodynamicsCerebral Blood FlowCerebrovascular PhysiologyDopaminergic PharmacologyParkinson DiseaseCerebral Blood Flow EffectsCerebral HemodynamicsCerebral VesselsParkinson's Disease PharmacotherapyParkinson’s Disease PharmacotherapyParkinson’s Disease TreatmentRegional Brain MetabolismRegional Cerebral Blood Flow
Studies performed on 18 patients with Parkinson's disease and 6 control subjects have shown that acute administration of L-DOPA in clinically effective doses gives rise to a diffuse increase in regional cerebral blood flow without accompanying stimulation of regional oxygen utilization. The data suggest that this rise in rCBF is caused by vasodilatation due to a direct action of the drug on the cerebral blood vessels. The effect of L-DOPA on rCBF did not correlate with the degree of clinical improvement seen in each patient after treatment. The therapeutic effect of L-DOPA in the brain was not reflected in any change of regional cerebral oxygen utilization as measured by our technique. We suggest that the pharmacological actions of L-DOPA in the brain take place on at least two different levels.