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Amitriptyline is not contraindicated in Parkinson's Disease. Indeed, it can be beneficial in many ways: 1) it has anticholinergic activity which causes the side effect of dry mouth. However this same anticholinergic activity may contribute to control of tremor and bradykinesia. Remember the first antiparkinsonian drugs were anticholinergic drugs (benztropine and trihexiphenidyl - Cogentin and Artane, for example) 2) it has mild pro-dopaminergic activity (it is a catecholamine reuptake inhibitor) and thus could also by that mechanism exert a very mild antiparkinsonian effect. 3) it is a useful antidepressant - and 30 to 50% of PWPs are likely to have significant symptoms of depression. 4) it helps sleep - and many PWP have trouble sleeping. In selected PWPs, it can be a very useful drug. Jorge Romero, MD ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Lauer" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2000 5:44 PM Subject: amitriptyline > I have had a stiff neck now going on a year. Neither my neuro, my orthopedist > and now a physiatrist(sp?) think it is PD related and I think I that it is > most likely arthritis. I won't bore you with the various things which have > been attempted since that is not my current subject. Add to the neck > problems, problems sleeping which are probably in some way PD related. As a > result of both problems, my physiatrist is prescribing amitriptyline, 10 mg, > which he says is a mild dose and should work both as a sleep aid and a > painkiller. He further says that in larger doses it is an antidepressant, > which I don't need. > > I found the drug in Kathryn Holden's drug database but it doesn't mention one > way or the other whether it is contraindicated for PD or not. Experiences > anybody? > > Paul H. Lauer >