The following list of suggested readings includes important information on Parkinson's disease (PD) research as well as the latest thinking in the field on the etiology of levodopa-associated motor complications and how to manage them.

Complications associated with levodopa therapy

Koller WC. Management of motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease.
Eur Neurol. 1996;36:43-48.

Marsden CD, Parkes JD. "On-off" effects in patients with Parkinson's disease on chronic levodopa therapy.
Lancet. 1976;1:292-296.

Obeso JA, Linazasoro G, Gorospe A, et al. Complications associated with chronic levodopa therapy in Parkinson's disease.
In: Olanow CW, Obeso JA, eds. Beyond the Decade of the Brain. Vol 2. Dopamine agonists in early Parkinson's disease. Kent, UK: Wells Medical Limited; 1997:11-35.

Rationale for COMT inhibition in levodopa therapy

Dingemanse J. Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors: clinical potential in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Drug Dev Res. 1997;42:1-25.

Männistö PT, Kaakkola S. Rationale for selective COMT inhibitors as adjuncts in the drug treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Pharmacol Toxicol. 1990;66:317-323.

Olanow CW, Koller WC. An algorithm (decision tree) for the management of Parkinson's disease:
treatment guidelines. Neurology. 1998;50(suppl 3):S1-S57.

Pharmacokinetics of COMT inhibitors and the effect of COMT inhibition on levodopa pharmacokinetics

Keränen T, Gordin A, Karlsson M, et al. Inhibition of soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase and single-dose pharmacokinetics after oral and intravenous administration of entacapone.
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1994;46:151-157.

Nutt JG, Woodward WR, Beckner RM, et al. Effect of peripheral catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of levodopa in parkinsonian patients.
Neurology. 1994;44:913-919.

Sawle GV, Burn DJ, Morrish PK, et al. The effect of entacapone (OR-611) on brain [¹⁸F]-6-L-fluorodopa metabolism: implications for levodopa therapy of Parkinson's disease.
Neurology. 1994;44:1292-1297.

Effect of COMT inhibitors on the pharmacokinetics of controlled-release levodopa

Ahtila S, Kaakkola S, Gordin A, et al. Effect of entacapone, a COMT inhibitor, on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of levodopa after administration of controlled-release levodopa-carbidopa in volunteers.
Clin Neuropharmacol. 1995;18:46-57.

Piccini P, Brooks DJ, Korpela K, et al. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor entacapone enhances the pharmacokinetic and clinical response to Sinemet CR in Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2000;68:589-594.

Pivotal trials of entacapone: clinical data

Parkinson Study Group. Entacapone improves motor fluctuations in levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients.
Ann Neurol. 1997;42:747-755.

Rinne UK, Larsen JP, Siden Ä, et al. Entacapone enhances the response to levodopa in parkinsonian patients with motor fluctuations.
Neurology. 1998;51:1309-1314.