People who suffer from Parkinson’s disease often display the typical symptoms of shaking and sudden involuntary movements – but scientists are beginning to wonder if the drugs are the cause. The standard anti-Parkinsonian drug is Levodopa, and one of the common side effects after long-term use is dyskinesia, the medical term for jerky and unpredictable movement. Researchers at Lund University have discovered the mechanisms in the brain that causes dyskinesia – but it can be the result of Parkinson’s or from using the drug. They hope that their findings could open up new therapies and medication for the disease. (Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2010; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1003432107).
