Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability

Growing evidence suggests that Parkinson's disease is not solely affecting the dopaminergic system. Results from biochemical, animal, postmortem, and functional imaging studies have revealed that other neurotransmitter systems are affected as well, including the serotonergic system. With the us...

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Main Authors: Marios Politis, Clare Loane
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2011/172893
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author Marios Politis
Clare Loane
author_facet Marios Politis
Clare Loane
author_sort Marios Politis
collection DOAJ
description Growing evidence suggests that Parkinson's disease is not solely affecting the dopaminergic system. Results from biochemical, animal, postmortem, and functional imaging studies have revealed that other neurotransmitter systems are affected as well, including the serotonergic system. With the use of in vivo positron emission tomography functional imaging, it has been shown that serotonergic terminals are affected at a varying, nonlinear degree starting early in the clinical course of Parkinson's disease. Tremor and the majority of nonmotor symptoms do not seem to respond adequately to dopaminergic medication. Recent studies suggest that serotonergic dysfunction has a direct relevance to Parkinson's disease symptoms, the so-called nonmotor symptoms, including depression, fatigue, weight changes, and visual hallucinations. These in vivo findings indicate that agents acting on the serotonergic system could help towards alleviating these symptoms. This paper aims to review the current literature and to highlight the need for further in vivo investigations.
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spelling doaj-art-f77fa0fc9156400b99739519218ceec32025-02-03T06:12:53ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2011-01-01111726173410.1100/2011/172893172893Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to DisabilityMarios Politis0Clare Loane1Centre for Neuroscience, Division of Experimental Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UKCentre for Neuroscience, Division of Experimental Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UKGrowing evidence suggests that Parkinson's disease is not solely affecting the dopaminergic system. Results from biochemical, animal, postmortem, and functional imaging studies have revealed that other neurotransmitter systems are affected as well, including the serotonergic system. With the use of in vivo positron emission tomography functional imaging, it has been shown that serotonergic terminals are affected at a varying, nonlinear degree starting early in the clinical course of Parkinson's disease. Tremor and the majority of nonmotor symptoms do not seem to respond adequately to dopaminergic medication. Recent studies suggest that serotonergic dysfunction has a direct relevance to Parkinson's disease symptoms, the so-called nonmotor symptoms, including depression, fatigue, weight changes, and visual hallucinations. These in vivo findings indicate that agents acting on the serotonergic system could help towards alleviating these symptoms. This paper aims to review the current literature and to highlight the need for further in vivo investigations.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2011/172893
spellingShingle Marios Politis
Clare Loane
Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
The Scientific World Journal
title Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
title_full Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
title_fullStr Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
title_full_unstemmed Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
title_short Serotonergic Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and Its Relevance to Disability
title_sort serotonergic dysfunction in parkinson s disease and its relevance to disability
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2011/172893
work_keys_str_mv AT mariospolitis serotonergicdysfunctioninparkinsonsdiseaseanditsrelevancetodisability
AT clareloane serotonergicdysfunctioninparkinsonsdiseaseanditsrelevancetodisability