levodopa
Dopamine precursor drug
Levodopa is a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease.
The brain converts it to dopamine, replenishing the neurotransmitter that Parkinson's patients lack.
Often combined with carbidopa to prevent premature conversion outside the brain: The doctor started her on levodopa when the tremors worsened.
Also called L-dopa.
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- bradykinesiaPathological movement slowness
- rigidityState of being unbending
- dyskinesiaAbnormal involuntary muscle activity
- shuffling gaitFeet-dragging walk pattern
neurodegeneration · basal ganglia · movement disorder · freezing · masked face · honeymoon period
Fraction reaching active circulation
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
- capsulesEncased doses of medicine
prescription · pharmaceutical · side-effects · inhibitor · absorption · metabolism · blood-brain barrier · oral
Synaptic chemical messenger
- tyrosineProtein-building amino acid
- amino acidProtein's molecular subunit
- biosynthesisLiving production of molecules
- decarboxylationCarboxyl group elimination
dopaminergic · synaptic · receptor · neuronal · catecholamine · metabolite
Curative mental treatment
- regimenPrescribed course of treatment
- titrationMeasuring concentration by addition
- adherenceFaithful following of something
- monotherapyTreatment with one drug
combination therapy · adjunct · clinical trials · efficacy · tolerance · long-term · initiation · optimization
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- bradykinesiaPathological movement slowness
- rigidityState of being unbending
- dyskinesiaAbnormal involuntary muscle activity
shuffling gait · neurodegeneration · basal ganglia · movement disorder · freezing · masked face · honeymoon period
bioavailability
Fraction reaching active circulation
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- tabletsFlat portable computing devices
capsules · prescription · pharmaceutical · side-effects · inhibitor · absorption · metabolism · blood-brain barrier · oral
neurotransmitter
Synaptic chemical messenger
- tyrosineProtein-building amino acid
- amino acidProtein's molecular subunit
- biosynthesisLiving production of molecules
decarboxylation · dopaminergic · synaptic · receptor · neuronal · catecholamine · metabolite
therapy
Curative mental treatment
- regimenPrescribed course of treatment
- titrationMeasuring concentration by addition
- adherenceFaithful following of something
monotherapy · combination therapy · adjunct · clinical trials · efficacy · tolerance · long-term · initiation · optimization · individualized
- Neuroactive Drugsserotonin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, neurotransmitters
- amino derivativesGABA, citrulline, homocysteine, cystine, betaine
- dopamine drugs
- Dopamine Precursorstyrosine, phenylalanine, tetrahydrobiopterin
- Movement Therapiesdeep brain stimulation, DBS, amantadine, balance training, physical therapy
- neuro drugsphenytoin, valproate, amantadine, phenobarbital, sumatriptan