Understanding Parkinson's Disease

Pharmacological treatment options for Parkinson's disease

• Co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2000, Professor Arvid Carlsson discovered that dopamine is a transmitter in the brain and that it has great importance for our ability to control movements. This research led to the realisation that Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by a lack of dopamine in certain parts of
  the brain
• The observation that the symptoms of PD can be relieved by increasing central dopaminergic tone has been critical in understanding this disease. This understanding helped advance drug treatment for the symptoms of PD such as initially levodopa and, more recently, dopamine agonists
• Most treatment strategies are largely aimed at improving motor symptoms while minimising immediate and chronic side effects or complications
• However, there is increasing recognition of non-motor symptoms associated with PD, an area that remains overlooked,^1-3 although of high impact on patients' quality of life
  • For information about pharmacological treatment options, please click here
  • For information about dopaminergic agents, please click here
  • For information about the treatment decision pathway, please click here

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