Clinical Pharmacology as an Approach to the Study of Biochemical Sleep Mechanisms: the Action of <i>L</i>-Dopa

Abstract

The authors have attempted to confirm, on the basis of clinicopharmacological research, the action of dopa on sleep stages and sleep organization; this was then well studied in laboratory researches. They have recorded patients suffering from Parkinson''s disease before and after treatment with <i>L</i>-dopa, at various quantities of drug, throughout the night and during spontaneous sleep. In the basic night records they found a decrease in the IV and REM stages, and an increase of wakefulness. After average doses of <i>L</i>-dopa (about 3 g) a decrease in wakefulness, a slight increase in slow sleep stages and a sharp rise in REM stage can be seen; moreover, the number of awakenings and the period for falling asleep are reduced. A higher dosage of the drug (about 5 g) causes the alterations and the disturbances of the basic night recordings to reappear.