PARKINSON'S DISEASE NEWS

24th March 2010 - New research

THE RISK OF DEVELOPING DYSKINESIA IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Movement Disorders [2010] Mar 22. [Epub ahead of print] (Ku S, Glass GA.)  Complete abstract
                                                                                                                                                                                
The risk of developing dyskinesia due to taking L-dopa is known to vary inversely with the age of Parkinson's Disease onset. Basically, the younger somebody is when they develop Parkinson's Disease the more likely they are to subsequently develop dyskinesia.  Dyskinesia is abnormal and involuntary physical movements such as those shown by Michael J.Fox in this interview.

After 5 years of L-dopa treatment, the dyskinesia risk for patients with onset age 40-49 was high, at 70%. For those diagnosed between 50-59 years old the risk of developing dyskinesia decreased to 42%. The risk decreased further still for those diagnosed between 60-69 years old to 33%. Least at risk were those diagnosed between 70-79 years old, who had only a 24% risk of developing dyskinesia. After 5 years of L-dopa, dyskinesia risks became uniformly high regardless of age of onset.

So lengthy use of L-dopa by those diagnosed at an early age was by far the most likely to cause dyskinesia. For more current news go to Parkinson's Disease News.

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Parkinson's Disease News details all significant new research, news reports, new books, and new resources concerning Parkinson's Disease and those medical disorders that often coincide with Parkinson's Disease. It is compiled from an analysis of  all newly published research, news reports, new clinical trials, all newly published books, and new web sites. A summary and analysis of the new research are provided,  as well as links to the complete abstracts and news reports.