New Research Raises More Concerns About Long-Term Levodopa
Use
A new study in npj Parkinson’s Disease has discovered that L-Dopa – the main drug used to treat Parkinson’s – can actually build into the structure of brain cells.
Researchers found that L-Dopa can insert itself into microtubules – tiny scaffolding structures that keep nerve cells stable and help them form connections. Once that happens, the microtubules become less flexible and more fragile.In lab tests on neurons:
! Microtubules became unstable
! Dendritic spines (the little branches that form synapses) dropped by ~23%
! The number of excitatory synapses fell
! Overall, the neurons showed fewer healthy connections
