Molecular pathophysiology of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia

The dopamine precursor, L-DOPA is very effective in improving the signs and symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, but has a high potential to prime the brain for the development of motor fluctuations and dyskinesia (abnormal involuntary movements). This priming process is believed to depend on maladaptive changes in gene and protein expression within the basal ganglia, and there is general agreement that an abnormal potentiation of dopamine- and glutamate-dependent signalling in striatal neurons plays a key role. We have used gene chip array technology in order to define the molecular fingerprint of L-DOPA-induced dy…