Agonists can contribute to PD..?!?!

[rd42]

I was reading wikipedia.org, which is written collaboratively by people from all around the world so it's not always factual.

I read, "Dopamine agonists can also eventually contribute to Parkinson's disease symptoms by increasing the sensitivity of dopamine receptors" under the PD link.

Any one ever heard that one before?
I was always told by my neuro that some agonist "may be" neuroprotective.

PD wiki link, it's under the Drug Induced section:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s#Cognitive_disturbances
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Robert

[reverett123]

Seems it would allow one to get by with less dopamine, wouldn't it?

-Rick

[boann]

it also says levodopa can cause symptoms of pd - which, while i am not sure that that is inaccurate (have done some interesting reading on levodopa-induced apoptosis recently) i am not sure what feedback inhibition is.

people should really provide sources on wikipedia.

i have never heard of DAs (or levodopa, i don't think) causing increased receptor sensitivity, nor have i ever heard of such a thing being responsible for pd symptoms - like rick said, it would seem to fly in the face of logic.

boann