Summary
In animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD), glutamate antagonists diminish levodopa (LD)-associated motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. We sought to investigate if these preclinical observations can be extended to the human disease, by evaluating the effects of three non-competitive NMDA antagonists (dextrorphan, dextromethorphan and amantadine) on the motor response to LD in patients with advanced PD. In four separate trials, adjuvant therapy with these drugs reduced LD-induced dyskinesias and motor fluctuations. These findings support the view that drugs acting to inhibit glutamatergic transmission at the NMDA receptor can ameliorate LD associated motor response complications.
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Metman, L.V., Del Dotto, P., Blanchet, P.J. et al. Blockade of glutamatergic transmission as treatment for dyskinesias and motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease. Amino Acids 14, 75–82 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01345246
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01345246