This message is in MIME format. If you are reading this text, then your mail package doesn't fully support MIME - there may be a newer release available from your supplier. Created using the !Marcel mail package from ANT Ltd <[log in to unmask]> --80-1904222667-894729909:#-1543471909 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Fri 08 May, John Stafford wrote: > Safety concerns which have impeded the use > of a drug effective against Parkinson's > disease may not be justified, according to a > study by a team at the Salpetriere Hospital > in Paris, France, and collaborators at the > Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacologicas > in Argentina. They found that levodopa did > not accelerate the death of already-fragile > nerve cells in an animal model of the disease, > as some physicians believe (Annals of > Neurology, May 1998). However, the authors > suggest that it might be beneficial to > administer the lowest clinically-useful dose of > L-dopa to PD patients, especially those in > the early stages of the disease. > > > I find the above news very welcome (assuming that it proves to be correct). For years I have been pointing out that in the early days after diagnosis of PC it is possible for doctors to prescribe large doses of levodopa - and they do - simply because the effect lasts longer. The brain absorbs this excess intake by 'throttling back' some of its manufacturing capacity, and outwardly nothing is wrong, but I have felt instinctively that it would be better to follow the tactic of taking only the minimum necessary ammount: This is what my tablet analysis program does. The problem up to now has been that there was very little in the way of test evidence to support my instinctive reaction - Now it seems that there is at least one set of reseachers who agree with me. (I have attached a small GIF file (5K). I hope it does not cause any trouble. 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