CNS

Question 1

principal clinical features of parkisons

Answer 1

• Lead pipe rigidity
• Bradykinesia
  
  • hypomimia, festinant gait, reduced arm swing, micrographia
• Resting tremor

Question 2

causes of parkinson’s

Answer 2

• Idiopathic parkinson disease
• Neuroleptic medication (Antidopaminergics, Antipsychotics)
• Parkinson plus syndromes
• Wilson disease
• Infective encaphalitis
• Vascular parkinsonism

Question 3

which neurotransmitter deficit causes parkinsons

Answer 3

Dopamine deficiency caused by atrophy of the dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia niagra.

Question 4

parkinsons medications

Answer 4

Levodopa
- precursor to dopamine that is small enough to cross the BBB and be converted to dopamine in the CNS

Carbidopa
- DOPA Decarboxylase inhibitor that inhibits the conversion of Levodopa to Dopamine in the periphery. It is too large to cross the BBB

Levodopa + Carbidopa:
Levodopa can be converted to dopamine in the periphery by DOPA decarboxylase -> preventing it from entering the CNS -> accumulation of dopamine in the systemic circulation -> systemic dopaminergic side effects

Carbidopa inhibits the conversion of levodopa to dopamine in the periphery -> enabling the delivery of levodopa to the BBB and into the CNS