Levodopa improves procedural motor learning in chronic stroke patients

Objective: Stroke is a leading cause of motor disability. Recovery of motor function after stroke often remains incomplete despite physiotherapy. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that administration of dopamine (DA) precursor levodopa improves procedural motor learning in patients with residual motor deficits in the chronic phase after stroke (> one year after stroke). Procedural motor learning is defined as the ability to acquire novel movement patterns gradually through practice. Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over design was used. Setting: Department of Neurology, U…