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snipped messages portions follow: Delana Vaughan <[log in to unmask]> I have just read a Letter to the Editor in the J.Neurol.Neurosurg.Psychiatr.1995;59:555-565 by D.E. Bateman. The title is "A simple model to explain the motor fluctuation seen in Parkinson's Disease." This letter presents a very interesting explanation for the "on/off" phenomenon where PD is described as a 2-stage disease with a stable response period and an end of dose deterioration response period. The model assumes a constant the author includes dyskinesia in the model sketch and shows the threshhold for its appearance to be lowered with progressive disease but he never actually discusses dyskinesia with respect to the model. It's a very important consideration since most believe dyskinesia increases with increased use of L-DOPA. Please go read the letter, check out the model, and let's discuss our individual interpretations here. Can you figure out what relationship dyskinesia has to the model since it's not discussed in the text? Maybe we should write and ask the author to clarify. Thanks. I think you'll find this a challenge worth pursuing. Delana Vaughan From: "J.R. Bruman" <[log in to unmask]> You will find a citation of Bateman's letter in my current (December) post of Current Science Reviews, posted here earlier this month. In that series my policy is to present everything I can find, trying not to be selective, partial, or judgemental. I infer that the letter in question is just an observation by a practicing physician, and not the product of an organized research program, so it's not surprising that its conclusions may be incomplete, or deviate from conventional wisdom, and they should be taken only at face value. J. R. Bruman end quotes-- I have no easy access to the journal, but will make some comments. The modeling of processes is primary to our thinking - understanding. It is useful as explanation and extrapolation of data, information, concepts, theories, and refinement and generalization of theory. Conjecture is beneficial - including brainstorming. We are invited to brain-storm about the processes resulting from chronic l-DOPA ingestion in persons of the class parkinsonian especially. (all humans might be similarly affected but we expect only limited data on others since they are unlikely to use l-DOPA.) It seems unlikely that simple cause-effect relationships will predominate - we have data that shows ?random? responses among persons who are patients to date. Bruce Warr is attempting use of multi-dimensional-relational-database correlation in his thesis work. This expansive cause-effect methodology may capture the complex chaotic multi-effects scope of the reality. If the model is physical (includes actual chemical, physical, transport, signals, - that is, measurable) correlates that can be monitored, then this can be done on small parts of the puzzle such as lab bench tests, et cetera; then, the experimentation and etiology proceed. Ron,59,dz PD 11 <[log in to unmask]> Ronald Vetter http://www1.ridgecrest.ca.us/~rfvetter/