Biochemistry and Pharmacology of L-Dopa in Relation to Basal Ganglia Circuitry

摘要: Few drugs make it to the movies. Although wondrous effects of L-DOPA were made known a wide audience by movie “Awakenings”, actual mechanism action this drug remains somewhat an enigma. is thought be converted enzyme aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) into neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) (Lloyd et al., 1975; Melamed al, 1985), thus substituting for loss dopaminergic input striatum that underlying pathology Parkinson’s disease. However, DA formed from on target areas system are not well described. As example postsynaptic targets, we will discuss impact striatal cholinergic function. Another important aspect consider in understanding actions involves assumption main site compound striatum. In paper also evidence only at level striatum, but substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) and may have basal ganglia functioning beyond restoration tone