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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1990 Jul;53(7):569–572. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.53.7.569

L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa) lowers central nervous system S-adenosylmethionine concentrations in humans.

R Surtees 1, K Hyland 1
PMCID: PMC488131  PMID: 2391519

Abstract

To determine whether levodopa reduces the levels of S-adenosylmethionine in the human central nervous system, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine, methionine, 3-methoxytyrosine, levodopa and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate were measured in six children with dopamine deficiency before and after treatment. In four, the lack of dopamine was secondary to a reduction in concentration of levodopa and these were treated with levodopa together with a peripheral dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor. In the other two, levodopa in the central nervous system naturally accumulated due to a congenital deficiency of aromatic-L-amino acid decarboxylase and these were treated with pyridoxine (which in this condition lowers central levodopa concentrations). Raising levodopa concentrations in the central nervous system caused a fall in CSF S-adenosyl-methionine concentration and a rise in CSF 3-methoxytyrosine concentration. No change was observed in CSF methionine concentration and in all patients CSF 5-methyltetrahydrofolate concentration was normal. With one exclusion there was a linear relationship between CSF S-adenosylmethionine and 3-methoxytyrosine concentrations. This is the first demonstration of such effects in humans and the implications upon levodopa therapy are discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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