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Emily, I have no direct knowledge about Wellbutrin [bubroprion], but one very interesting study suggested that besides acting as an antidepressant it might also help persons with early stage Parkinson's. "BOSTON, Sep 27, 2001 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Preliminary laboratory studies suggest the antidepressant bubroprion may help slow the degenerative Parkinson's disease, but whether the approach works in humans remains to be seen. " See: <A HREF="http://www.lef.org/newsarchive/disease/2001/09/27/up/0000-3137-bc-us-par kinsons.html">Antidepressant May Slow Parkinson's</A> Or: http://www.lef.org/newsarchive/disease/2001/09/27/up/0000-3137-bc-us-parkinson s.html However, after you see the neuro and get PD meds, a warning comes into play. See the following from the St. Louis Parkinson Newsletter: Does Wellbutrin, an antidepressant, relieve PD symptoms? Wellbutrin (buproprion) inhibits the reuptake of dopamine at the nerve cell terminal. Thus, it can strengthen the effect of the remaining dopamine. That is, in the PD patient, the remaining dopamine nerve cells release dopamine (but not enough of it). Then Wellbutrin inhibits the nerve cell from taking it back out of the synapse (gap between the nerve cells) where it acts. This ìreuptakeî is one of the ways its action would usually be stopped. So the remaining dopamine can have a ìstrongerî effect because it is allowed to work longer. This is not a very strong effect. If you give Wellbutrin alone to a PD patient, he is not usually noticeably better with respect to his parkinsonian symptoms. Wellbutrin also inhibits norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake which are probably important for its antidepressant effect. My chief concern is that when it is given with levodopa it may enhance the effect of levodopa a little but it has an even greater chance of enhancing the potential side effects of levodopa. I would agree with the warning put out by its maker, Glaxo Wellcome, in the Physician Desk Reference that ìlimited clinical data suggest a higher incidence of adverse events in patients receiving concurrent administration of buproprion and levodopa. Administration of Wellbutrin SR tablets to patients receiving levodopa concurrently should be undertaken with caution, using small doses and gradual dose increases.î I would also point out that Zyban, marketed as an aid to help stop smoking, is the same thing as Wellbutrin. It is just another name for buproprion. To repeat, if the patient is also being given levodopa, Wellbutrin "may enhance the effect of levodopa a little but it has an even greater chance of enhancing the potential side effects of levodopa." ed g ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn