HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by SWEET, R. D. Articles by GOODELL, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by SWEET, R. D. Articles by GOODELL, H.

Mental symptoms in Parkinson's disease during chronic treatment with levodopa

From the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, New York.

Mental symptoms increased in frequency among 100 patients with parkinsonism treated with levodopa. Dementia was found in about one-third of patients throughout the 6-year treatment period. Thirteen patients became demented during the study, and dementia worsened severely in seven others. Agitated confusion became increasingly frequent and was observed in 60 percent of patients taking levodopa for 6 years. Withdrawal from levodopa decreased agitation, but not dementia. Ten patients received L-tryptophan along with levodopa, but no change in mentation was observed. In view of previous studies of mentation in Parkinson's disease and reports of widespread neuronal changes in the brain of autopsied patients with parkinsonism, our results suggest that the high incidence of dementia in patients with Parkinson's disease who take levodopa reflects prolongation of the course of the illness rather than a direct effect of the medication.

Dr. Sweet's address is Department of Neurology, Metropolitan Hospital Center, Room 1315-B, 1901 First Avenue, New York, NY 10029.

This study was supported by the American Parkinson's Disease Association.

Received for publication August 1, 1975.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J Barnes and L Boubert Executive functions are impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease with visual hallucinations J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 2008; 79(2): 190 - 192. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Factor, P. J. Feustel, J. H. Friedman, C. L. Comella, C. G. Goetz, R. Kurlan, M. Parsa, R. Pfeiffer, and the Parkinson Study Group Longitudinal outcome of Parkinson's disease patients with psychosis Neurology, June 10, 2003; 60(11): 1756 - 1761. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Cummings Intellectual Impairment in Parkinson's Disease: Clinical, Pathologic, and Biochemical Correlates J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol, January 1, 1988; 1(1): 24 - 36. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Coyle, D. Price, and M. DeLong Alzheimer's disease: a disorder of cortical cholinergic innervation Science, March 11, 1983; 219(4589): 1184 - 1190. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. S. Elizan Organic Mental Syndrome in Parkinson's Disease-Reply Arch Neurol, July 1, 1982; 39(7): 457 - 457. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. Sroka, T. S. Elizan, M. D. Yahr, A. Burger, and M. R. Mendoza Organic Mental Syndrome and Confusional States in Parkinson's Disease: Relationship to Computerized Tomographic Signs of Cerebral Atrophy Arch Neurol, June 1, 1981; 38(6): 339 - 342. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. L. Beasley, J. G. Nutt, R. W. Davenport, and T. N. Chase Treatment With Tryptophan of Levodopa-Associated Psychiatric Disturbances Arch Neurol, March 1, 1980; 37(3): 155 - 156. [Abstract] [PDF]