Many signs of Parkinson’s outcome from a lack of mind cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine.
For that reason, a number of drugs for Parkinson’s illness both increase the extent of dopamine within the mind or mimic its results. In the meantime, different drugs assist management nonmotor signs of Parkinson’s or goal different neurotransmitters to mitigate signs.
Medicine That Improve Dopamine
Levodopa, the precursor to dopamine, could be an efficient therapy for extra superior circumstances of Parkinson’s illness.
It’s usually mixed with carbidopa to cut back unwanted effects and to extend the quantity of levodopa accessible to mind cells. Whereas levodopa can quickly assist substitute a number of the misplaced dopamine within the mind, carbidopa helps enhance the uptake of levodopa by stopping it from being activated into dopamine earlier than it reaches the mind.
Carbidopa-levodopa is obtainable as an oral treatment underneath the model names Crexont, Rytary, and Sinemet.
It’s additionally accessible as an infusion underneath the model names Duopa and Vyalev.
Medicine That Mimic Dopamine
A variety of drugs mimic dopamine within the mind to handle Parkinson’s signs, together with:
- apomorphine (Apokyn, Kynmobi)
- pramipexole (Mirapex)
- ropinirole (Requip)
- rotigotine (Neupro)
MAO-B Inhibitors
These drugs inhibit the enzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), which breaks down dopamine within the mind, serving to dopamine stay intact for the mind to make use of. MAO-B inhibitors embody:
- rasagiline (Azilect)
- safinamide (Xadago)
- selegiline (Zelapar)
COMT Inhibitors
These drugs assist block one other enzyme, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), from breaking down dopamine within the mind. This group of medicines contains entacapone (Comtan) and opicapone (Ongentys).
Amantadine (Symmetrel)
Amantadine (Gocovri, Symmetrel) is an antiviral treatment and an antidyskinetic treatment which may be prescribed to these with Parkinson’s to assist deal with sudden uncontrolled actions (dyskinesia). Amantadine could be taken alone or alongside different drugs for Parkinson’s, comparable to levodopa.
Anticholinergics
Anticholinergics could be useful for lowering tremor and muscle contractions by lowering the motion of a neurotransmitter known as acetylcholine that’s concerned in activating muscle tissues.
Anticholinergics prescribed for Parkinson’s embody benztropine (Cogentin) and trihexyphenidyl (Artane).
Medicines for Nonmovement Signs
Whereas many drugs give attention to motor signs frequent with Parkinson’s illness, different medicine might assist varied nonmotor or nonmovement signs of the dysfunction.
Atypical antipsychotic drugs could also be used (some off-label) to deal with the hallucinations and delusions that some folks with Parkinson’s expertise.
These medicine embody:
- pimavanserin (Nuplazid)
- clozapine (Clozaril)
- quetiapine (Seroquel)
Stimulants, together with modafinil (Provigil) and armodafinil (Nuvigil), may be used to assist deal with extreme daytime sleepiness in folks with Parkinson’s illness.
Cholinesterase inhibitors are used to deal with dementia or cognitive issues. Whereas these drugs had been developed to deal with Alzheimer’s illness, they will also be utilized by folks with Parkinson’s.
