L-dopa for Treating Parkinson's
in: Health and Well-Being
.svg/2 "chemical structure of L-DOPA (levodopa). Image source: wikimedia commons.")
NIH funding and research at a national lab demonstrated the first effective use of L-dopa for treating Parkinson’s Disease.
About 1 million people in the USA live with Parkinson’s Disease, with 90,0000 new people diagnosed each year, usually past the age of 50. This disorder causes uncontrollable movement, associated with tremors, difficulty walking, and speech problems. The current gold standard treatment, L-dopa, was first applied with significant benefits to patients at a the Brookhaven National Lab, by George Cotzias in the 1960s. Although the drug had been known to provide therapeutic effects prior to this, the reduction in symptoms was mild and negative side-effects prevented its widespread adoption. Cotzias was the first to show that high doses substantially improved the reduction in symptoms, and avoided side effects by gradually ramping up dose size. He was the first to report its practical use in treating Parkinson’s at a government-run hospital.
- States: NY
- Organizations: Brookhaven National Laboratory , National Institutes of Health
- Topics: Biology , Health , Mind & Brain
- Federal Grants: NIH U1 00421-05
- Links and further reading: [ link1 | link2 | link3 | link4 | link5 ]