Abstract
It has been suggested that dopamine derived from exogenous levodopa may not follow vesicular dynamics in Parkinson's disease (PD). Using a novel PET method based on the sensitivity of [(11)C]-dihydrotetrabenazine (DTBZ) binding to changes in vesicular dopamine levels, we show here that striatal [(11)C]-DTBZ binding decreases after levodopa administration in advanced PD, likely reflecting an increase in vesicular dopamine levels. Endogenous dopamine and exogenously derived dopamine seem to follow the same vesicular dynamics.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Antiparkinson Agents / therapeutic use
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Brain Mapping*
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Carbon Radioisotopes
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Dopamine / metabolism
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Female
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Humans
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Levodopa / pharmacology
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Levodopa / therapeutic use
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Nonlinear Dynamics*
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Parkinson Disease / diagnostic imaging
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Parkinson Disease / drug therapy
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Parkinson Disease / metabolism*
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Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
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Tetrabenazine / analogs & derivatives
Substances
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Antiparkinson Agents
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Carbon Radioisotopes
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dihydrotetrabenazine
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Levodopa
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Dopamine
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Tetrabenazine