Anti-Parkinsonian drugs and neuroleptics Flashcards
What dopaminergic pathways are there?
Nigrostriatal
Mesolimbic
Tuberoinfundibular system
What is the nigrostriatal pathway and what is it involved in?
Cell bodies originate in the substantia nigra compact (black pigment can be viewed with eye) and projects to striatum-
Control of movement and is affected in parkinsons
What is the mesolimbic pathway and what is it involved in?
Cell bodies originate in the ventral segmental area and project to the nucleus accumbens, frontal cortex, limbic cortex and olfactory tubercle- involved in emotion and affected in schizophrenia
What is the tuberoinfundibulnar system and what is it involved in?
Short neurones running from arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus to medial eminence and pituitary gland- Regulates hormone secretion
How is dopamine synthesised?
It starts with tyrosine which is converted by tyrosine hydroxylase to DOPA, DOPA decarboxylase then converts DOPA to dopamine
What receptors does dopamine act on?
D1 family (D1+D5) and D2 family (D2,3+4)
What is reuptake of dopamine followed by?
Either recycling, negative feedback on DA release or metabolism by MAO
What is the epidemiology of Parkinson’s like?
3rd most prevalent neurological disorder
4:1 males:females (oestrogen is protective)
What percentage is familial and idiopathic?
Familial- 5-7%
Idiopathic- 93%
What is the definition of Parkinson’s?
Progressive neurodegenerative disorder of movement. First describe by James Parkinson
What does diagnosis require at least 2 of?
Resting tremor- shaking of limbs when released
Rigidity- stiffness, limbs feel heavy
Bradykinesia- Slowness of movement and initiating movement after thought
Postural abnormality e.g. loss of arm swing
What other presenting symptoms are there for Parkinson’s?
Difficulty with fine movements- micrographic
Poverty of blinking
Impassive face
Monotony of speech and loss of volume of voice
Loss of balance
What are secondary manifestations of Parkinsons?
Non-motor signs:
Depression (approximately 45%)
Pain in limbs due to build up of lactic acid from tremor
Taste disturbances and loss of olfaction
Dementia
Autonomic dysfunction: Constipation, postural hypotension, urinary frequency, importance, increased sweating
What is the neuropathology of Parkinson’s?
Putamen-projecting pathways degenerate significantly. Lewy bodies also present
Cell loss in substantia nigra
Cell loss in locus coeruleus
Dorsal vagus nucleus, nucleus basalts of miners and other sub nuclei affected in some cases
What is thought to be the role of Lewy bodies?
They are large circular structures with bright core and white surrounding, packed with alpha synuclein and thought to be defensive mechanism to protect against toxic altered proteins
What percentage of dopaminergic neurones and stratal dopamine has to be depleted before symptoms appear?
Lose 80-85% of dopaminergic neurones and deplete 70% of striatal dopamine
What prevents appearance of symptoms in Parkinson’s?
Compensatory mechanisms such as neurone overactivity and up regulation of DA receptors
What is L-DOPA?
Dopamine replacement therapy
What is the difference between DOPA and L-DOPA?
L-DOPA can cross BBB