Study Findings Challenge Parkinson's Movement Disorders Notions
Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder of the brain that affects a person's movement. The movement patterns become affected when the level of the brain chemical dopamine (responsible for bodily movements) begins to dwindle. Parkinson's can develop. Some good news is that a drug called levodopa is administered and later gets converted into dopamine in the brain to help counter the dopamine loss . Some bad news is that long-term treatment can cause levodopa-induced dyskinesia - involuntary, uncontrollable movements.
A research study examining such movements was recently published, featuring lead author & postdoctoral research associate Abhilasha Vishwanath, as well as senior author and an associate professor Stephen Cowen.
The study examined the motor cortex, which is a brain region responsible for controlling movement. During the study, the motor cortex was found to become essentially "disconnected" during dyskinetic episodes, challenging prevailing views that this region actively generates these uncontrollable movements. The research also demonstrated that ketamine could help disrupt abnormal repetitive electrical patterns in the brain that occur during dyskinesia, possibly restoring some control over movement.
For more on the research and follow-up studies planned to explore additional treatments:
Updated: 01/07/25