Pharmacogenetic profile and the development of the dyskinesia induced by levodopa-therapy in Parkinson's disease patients: a population-based cohort study.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is an adverse effect that negatively impacts the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Studies report that genetic variations in the genes of the pharmacogenetic pathway of the levodopa (L-DOPA) might be associated with LID development. The goal of the present study was to investigate a possible influence of functional genetic variants in the DRD1 (rs4532), DRD2 (rs1800497), DAT1 (rs28363170), and COMT (rs4680) genes with LID development.

Determinant factors of sarcopenia in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Evaluate the occurrence of sarcopenia and determinant factors in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a city in northeastern Brazil.

Methods: Case series with 77 men and women (adults and older adults) with PD. The risk of sarcopenia was determined using the SARC-F and SARC-CalF screening tools.

Pharmacogenetic Profile and the Occurrence of Visual Hallucinations in Patients With Sporadic Parkinson's Disease.

Visual hallucinations are significant nonmotor symptoms in the course of treatment of Parkinson's disease. Previous studies have shown that the interindividual variability and pharmacogenetic profile of Parkinson's disease patients seem to influence the occurrence of visual hallucinations. In our study, we investigated a possible relationship of sequence variants in DRD1, DRD2, DRD3, DAT1, and COMT genes with the presence of visual hallucinations in Parkinson's disease patients.

The influence of SLC6A3 and DRD2 polymorphisms on levodopa-therapy in patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible relationship between DRD2/ANKK1 (rs1800497) and SLC6A3/DAT1 (rs28363170) gene polymorphisms with the response to levodopa (L-DOPA)-therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: One hundred and ninety-five patients with idiopathic PD were investigated. Patients were genotyped for rs1800497 and rs28363170 polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP.

MAO-B and COMT Genetic Variations Associated With Levodopa Treatment Response in Patients With Parkinson's Disease.

The most commonly used Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment is the replacement of dopamine by its levodopa precursor (l-dopa). Monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) and catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) are enzymes involved in the metabolism and regulation of dopamine availability. In our study we investigated the possible relation among selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MAO-B (rs1799836) and COMT (rs4680) genes and the therapeutic response to levodopa (l-dopa).

Acupuncture as Adjuvant Therapy for Sleep Disorders in Parkinson's Disease.

There are few studies which attest the efficacy of acupuncture on treatment of sleep disturbs in Parkinson disease. The aimed of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on sleep disturbs of 22 patients with diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease (Hoehn-Yahr 1 to 3) who have assistance on the Pro-Parkinson Program of Clinical Hospital at Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. All participants were evaluated by Parkinson Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) before and after 8 weeks.