RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Levodopa raises objective pain threshold in Parkinson’s disease: a RIII reflex study
JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 1140
OP 1142
DO 10.1136/jnnp.2007.120212
VO 78
IS 10
A1 A Gerdelat-Mas
A1 M Simonetta-Moreau
A1 C Thalamas
A1 F Ory-Magne
A1 T Slaoui
A1 O Rascol
A1 C Brefel-Courbon
YR 2007
UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/78/10/1140.abstract
AB Background: Patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD) describe painful sensations that could be related to neuropathic pain. Experimental data have indicated the involvement of basal ganglia and dopaminergic pathways in central nociceptive processing.Aim: The objective of this study was to assess and compare the effect of levodopa on the objective pain threshold in patients with PD and healthy subjects.Methods: The objective pain threshold was assessed by the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII) in 13 PD patients and 10 healthy subjects. Patients and healthy subjects were evaluated under two randomised conditions: with levodopa (ON) and without (OFF).Results: Levodopa significantly increased the RIII threshold of PD patients (6.9 (1.2) mA in the OFF condition vs 8 (1.1) mA in the ON position; p = 0.02). RIII threshold was significantly lower in PD patients than in healthy subjects in the OFF condition (6.9 (1.2) mA vs 9.7 (3.4) mA; p = 0.02). RIII threshold did not change after levodopa administration in healthy subjects.Conclusion: These results provide evidence of a dopaminergic modulation of objective pain threshold in PD patients. In addition, the decrease in RIII threshold in PD patients, in the OFF condition, compared with controls, confirms the existence of an objective pain perception disturbance in PD.