An alternate approach to Parkinson’s
By Nathan Seppa
Patients beginning to experience the muscle rigidity and other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease typically receive levodopa. This drug spurs nerve cells to replenish depleted supplies of dopamine, an essential neurotransmitter that facilitates muscle movement.
However, some physicians instead prescribe dopamine agonists, drugs that mimic dopamine. These drugs bind to receptors on nerve cells, making them react as they would to dopamine.
For years, scientists have debated which approach is better. Both drugs cause side effects, particularly dyskinesia, which is involuntary movement including twitching, nodding, and jerking.