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Balanced summary of levodopa’s benefits and limitations in the long-term treatment of Parkinson’s disease

Illustration of how levodopa combined with a peripheral dopa decarboxylase inhibitor enhances central dopamine availability in Parkinson’s treatment

The basal ganglia regulate movement through dopaminergic input from the SNc to the striatum, modulating motor signals via direct and indirect pathways.

Dopamine modulates movement by acting on D1 and D2 receptors in the striatum, influencing excitatory and inhibitory motor pathways.

α-synuclein plays a central role in Parkinson’s disease, progressing from monomers to fibrils and Lewy bodies — the pathological hallmark of PD.

Parkinson’s disease pathology extends beyond the brain, with α-synuclein deposits found in organs like the skin, stomach, colon, and salivary glands.