Summary: Researchers have uncovered a new understanding of levodopa-induced dyskinesia, a common side effect in Parkinson’s patients, revealing that the motor cortex disconnects rather than directly causing these movements.
The study shows that ketamine, an anesthetic, can disrupt abnormal brain activity during dyskinesia and promote long-lasting neuroplasticity, helping the motor cortex regain control. Initial clinical trials using low-dose ketamine infusions show promise, with effects lasting weeks after treatment.
These findings could pave the way for more effective therapies to manage Parkinson’s complications.
Key Facts: Motor Cortex Disconnect: Dyskinesia stems from a motor cortex disconnect, not direct activity.
Ketamine Benefits: Ketamine disrupts abnormal patterns and promotes neuroplasticity for longer effects.
Clinical Promise: Early trials show low-dose ketamine benefits can last weeks after a single treatment.
Source: University of Arizona
University of Arizona researchers have revealed new insights into one of the most common complications faced by Parkinson’s disease patients: uncontrollable movements that develop after years of treatment.
Parkinson’s disease – a neurological disorder of the brain that affects a person’s movement – develops when the level of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that’s responsible for bodily movements, begins to dwindle. With one dose of ketamine, beneficial effects can be seen even after a few months, Vishwanath said. To counter the loss of dopamine, a drug called levodopa is administered and later gets converted into dopamine in the brain. However, long-term treatment with levodopa induces involuntary and uncontrollable movements known as levodopa-induced dyskinesia.A study published in the journal Brain has uncovered new findings about the nature of levodopa-induced dyskinesia and how ketamine, an anesthetic, can help address the challenging condition.Over the years, the brain of a Parkinson’s patient adapts to the levodopa treatment, which is why levodopa causes dyskinesia in the long term, said Abhilasha Vishwanath, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral research associate in the U of A Department of Psychology.In the new study, the research team found that the motor cortex – the brain region responsible for controlling movement – becomes essentially “disconnected” during dyskinetic episodes.This finding challenges the prevailing view that the motor cortex actively generates these uncontrollable […]
Ketamine Offers Hope for Parkinson’s Treatment-Linked Dyskinesia
