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Current Science Reviews by Joe Bruman December 1995 (news item) Science 27 Oct 1995:572: The Neurosciences Institute, privately funded and staffed with 32 hand-picked full-time researchers, opened its brand-new home near La Jolla, California, on October 15. Headed by Nobel laureate Gerald Edelman, NSI will work on some problems germane to PD, for example the mechanism, genetic or environmental, which guides reproducing neurons to develop progeny that make or use dopamine. Harrison, J. et al: J Neur Neurosurg Psych 1995; 59:499-506: Psychologists compared reaction times of normal controls and PD patients temporarily deprived of levodopa, and found no difference. Bateman, J.: J Neur Neurosurg Psych 1995; 59:555: Author suggests that "on-off" effect in advanced PD is due to declining threshold of dopamine supply as the disease progresses. Fluctuation due to wearing-off effect of levodopa medication is masked at first but appears later, when supply falls below the "off" threshold. He concludes that withholding levodopa in early stages may unnecessarily penalize the patient. (news item) Lancet 11 Nov 1995; 1290: International Meeting on Dopamine Disease States, Mojacar, Spain, October 1995: Cabergoline, a potent dopamine agonist having a long half-life, will probably be licensed in Europe early next year. In early-stage PD, caber- goline was nearly as effective as conventional L-dopa and need be taken only once a day. L-dopa has a half-life of 90 minutes, and the CR version only 3 hours. Its peak concentration is suspected of being toxic to dopamine- producing neurons (possibly by triggering apoptosis?- JB) whereas the agonist works only on receptors and doesn't have that risk. J. R. Bruman (818) 789-3694 3527 Cody Road Sherman Oaks CA 91403