Lecture 24- Neuropharmacology Flashcards
Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD)
- Neurodegenerative disorder
- Progressive clinical course
- Motor symptoms improve with levodopa (symptomatic medication)
- Non motor symptoms
Pathophysiology of IPD
- Degeneration of dopaminergic neurones present in substantia nigra
- If we remove dopamine provided by the SN, then we lose net excitation on the cortex (dopamine stimulates direct pathway (which increases movement)and inhibits indirect pathway (which decreases movement))
- Therefore cortical activity decreases- corticospinal pathways aren’t stimulating LMN adequately
- Tremor
- Rigidity- reduction in proper coordination in flexors and extensors
- Bradykinesia- most easily explained by this pathway
- Psychiatric features- cognition circuit interlinked with the basal ganglia circuit
Histological hallmarks
basal ganglia rev
Clinical features of parkinsonism
- Tremor*
- Rigidity*
- Bradykinesia**
- Postural instability
Non motor manifestations
- Mood changes
- Pain
- Cognitive change
- Urinary symptoms
- Sleep disorder
- Sweating
- Low Blood Pressure
- Restless legs
- Fatigue
- Hallucinations
Diagnosis of IPD (based on clinical opinion and not on tests)
- Clinical Features
- Exclude other causes of Parkinsonism
- Response to Treatment e.g. Levadopa
- Structural neuro imaging is normal
prognosis
Catecholamine synthesis
one way to target low dopamine is
to prevent its degradation
e.g. COMT or MAO inhibitors
outline neurotransmission starting at synthesis of NT e.g. dopamine
AP causes releases into synaptic cleft via action of calcium which causes vesicle docking
treatment of parkinsons disease
- symptomatic e.g. movement disorders and non motor feautres
- levodopa (LDOPA)
- dopamine receptor agonists
- MAOI type B inhibitors
- COMT inhibitors
- anticholinergics
- amatidine
- Neuroprotection
- surgery
Why use precursor Levodopa (L-dopa)and not dopamine?
- Dopamine cannot cross the BBB
- Also causes many peripheral side effects
- Irregular beart beat
- Anxiety
- Headache
- SoB
- Nausea
Levodopa
is a drug used in combination with a peirpheral DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor e.g. carbidopa or benserazide
- reduces dose required
- reduces side effects
- increase L-DOPA reaching the brain
co-careldopa
sinemet (levodopa/carbidopa)
co-beneldopa
madopar (levodopa/ benserazide)
how are LDOPA formations taken
tablet formualtions only
pharmacokinetics of LDOPA
mode of action of levodopa
- Once Levodopa has crossed the BBB it must be taken up by dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra to be converted to dopamine
- As disease progresses and cell degenerated- fewer remaining cells mean levodopa is less reliable- motor fluctuations
advantages of LDOPA
disadvantages of LDOPA
*freezing when drug wearing off*
*requires some cells to be left to produce enzyme for conversion in the SN