J T Hutton1, J L Morris, J W Elias. 1. Parkinson's Disease Research Center, St Mary of the Plains Hospital, Lubbock, TX 79410.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of levodopa on the visual contrast sensitivity of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: Contrast sensitivity of patients was measured before and after levodopa administration. Patient contrast sensitivity was compared with that of normal controls by repeated-measures analyses of variance. SETTING: Parkinson's disease research center associated with private neurology practice. PATIENTS: Fifteen patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (eight men, seven women; mean age, 71.8 years) and 22 normal controls (10 men, 12 women; mean age, 68.0 years) volunteered for the study. INTERVENTION: Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in contrast sensitivity of parkinsonian patients. RESULTS: Following levodopa treatment, the contrast sensitivity of parkinsonian patients improved significantly at the three lowest spatial frequencies tested (0.4, 1, and 2 cycles per degree). CONCLUSIONS: Levodopa improves low-frequency contrast sensitivity in parkinsonian patients. Initially deficient contrast sensitivity in such patients may be restored to near normal levels by levodopa therapy.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of levodopa on the visual contrast sensitivity of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: Contrast sensitivity of patients was measured before and after levodopa administration. Patient contrast sensitivity was compared with that of normal controls by repeated-measures analyses of variance. SETTING:Parkinson's disease research center associated with private neurology practice. PATIENTS: Fifteen patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (eight men, seven women; mean age, 71.8 years) and 22 normal controls (10 men, 12 women; mean age, 68.0 years) volunteered for the study. INTERVENTION: Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in contrast sensitivity of parkinsonianpatients. RESULTS: Following levodopa treatment, the contrast sensitivity of parkinsonianpatients improved significantly at the three lowest spatial frequencies tested (0.4, 1, and 2 cycles per degree). CONCLUSIONS:Levodopa improves low-frequency contrast sensitivity in parkinsonianpatients. Initially deficient contrast sensitivity in such patients may be restored to near normal levels by levodopa therapy.
Authors: Amir H Kashani; Samuel Asanad; Jane W Chan; Maxwell B Singer; Jiong Zhang; Mona Sharifi; Maziyar M Khansari; Farzan Abdolahi; Yonggang Shi; Alessandro Biffi; Helena Chui; John M Ringman Journal: Prog Retin Eye Res Date: 2021-01-15 Impact factor: 19.704