Pathobiology and Clinics of Basal Ganglia Disorders

This text deals with recent developments in evaluating the pathobiochemistry of Parkinson's disease.

New treatment strategies are delineated, stressing the role of endogenous toxins, like radicals or trichlorhormone (an MPTP-like substance), as well as exogenous toxins like MPTP or rotenone.

Emphasis is also placed on glutamate, to show the direct influence of the NMDA-antagonist memantine on dopamine and DOPAC in MPTP and rotenone-treated rats via in vivo pulse voltammetry, and the synergistic effects of the AMPA antagonist NBQX with L-Dopa and lisuride in the 6-OHDA lesioned rat.

The early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease with apparative methods, biochemical imaging and psychometric measurements are evaluated.

The mental disorders of PD and the therapy of early, advanced and late stages are also given.

Following a review of the problem of dystonia, the history of treatment strategies and the importance of in vitro and in vivo experiments are highlighted.