PARTIAL DOPAMINE AGONIST THERAPY OF LEVODOPA-INDUCED DYSKINESIAS

We administered the partial dopamine agonist terguride under controlled conditions to patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), both as monotherapy and in conjunction with intravenous levodopa. Terguride produced a dose-dependent decrease in levodopa-induced dyskinesias (up to 53%) in seven patients without concomitant worsening of parkinsonism, and had no significant antiparkinsonian effect when administered alone. Partial dopamine agonists may hold some promise in the adjuvant therapy of patients with advanced PD.