Manic Response to Levodopa Therapy

Abstract

Levodopa (L-dopa) is at present the most effective drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease¹ but psychiatric side effects have been reported in 10 per cent of treated cases. These are confusional hallucinating symptoms, depression, anxiety and euphoric reactions.^{2 , 3} The pure manic response reported below occurred in a patient whose clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease were reversed by treatment with L-dopa.Case ReportA 69-year-old retired drawbridge tender with an 8-year history of right-sided Parkinson tremor and rigidity was given small doses of L-dopa, which were gradually increased. There was no improvement until suddenly, when a dosage level of 3 . . .