Attenuation of fluctuating striatal synaptic dopamine levels in patients with Parkinson disease in response to subthalamic nucleus stimulation: a positron emission tomography study

• DOI: 10.3171/jns.2005.103.6.0968
• Publication Date: 2009-05-13T18:02:48Z
• Authors: Taro Nimura; Keiichiro Yamaguchi; Tadashi Ando; Satoshi Shibuya; Takanori Oikawa; Atsuhiro Nakagawa; Reizo Shirane; Masatoshi Itoh; Teiji Tominaga
• Keywords: Subthalamic Nucleus

The "wearing-off" phenomenon often hampers the treatment of Parkinson disease (PD). Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) subthalamic nucleus (STN) is known to ameliorate wearing-off phenomenon, mechanism by which it does this remains unclear. As part an inquiry into STN DBS, authors measured synaptic dopamine levels in striatum performing positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C]raclopride.Three patients PD who were experiencing underwent PET scanning before and after DBS STN. clinical features these evaluated applying Hoehn Yahr, United Parkinson's Disease Rating, Schwab England Activities Daily Living Scales. Before surgery, scans obtained using [11C]raclopride prior 1 hour following oral administration levodopa. Regions interest for binding potential (RacloBP) set bilateral putamen caudate nucleus. All scores dramatically improved postoperatively. Deep reduced baseline RacloBP both nucleus, but differences between pre- postoperative insignificant. STN, levodopa significantly (p < 0.0001). Postoperatively drug-induced reduction became statistically increase concentrations preoperatively was estimated be approximately four times higher than that surgery 0.01). change similar putamen, although magnitude lower 0.005). also postoperatively 0.05).Deep induces stabilization may attribute alleviation levodopa-related motor fluctuations.