[L-Methionine treatment of Parkinson's disease: preliminary results].

Eleven patients with previously untreated Parkinson's disease were treated with L-Methionine for periods from 2 weeks to 6 months. The treatment was well supported and good improvement in clinical signs, particularly akinesia and rigidity, appeared within approximately three weeks, the effect on tremor being less marked. Therapeutic effects were similar to those observed with L-dopa treatment. Correlation of clinical effects with a marked increase in the number of 3H-Spiroperidol binding sites (Bmax) to lymphocytes was noted. This therapeutic effect suggests the role played by modifications of membrane fluidity on dopaminergic receptors, both lymphocytic and striatal, in the etiology of Parkinson's disease, and opens up new therapeutic possibilities in this disease.