| Acetylcholine |
A chemical that works in the brain to transmit nerve signals |
| Anticholinergic |
A drug that reduces the action of acetylcholine on nerve cells--beneficial in PD for tremor |
| Bilateral |
Affecting both sides of the body |
| Bradykinesia |
Slowing down or slowness of movements--a major symptom of PD |
| Carbidopa |
A drug combined with levodopa to slow the breakdown of the levodopa by dopa decarboxylase, which is a naturally occurring enzyme that decreases levodopa's availability for entry into the brain |
Catechol O-methyltransferase
(COMT) Enzyme
|
A processing molecule that naturally serves to breakdown levodopa and similar chemicals. People receiving carbidopa/levodopa therapy experience an increase in COMT enzyme activity which increases the rate of levodopa breakdown by this enzyme. This increase in COMT activity limits the amount of levodopa available to go to the brain |
| CAT Scan (CT or CAT) |
Computed Axial Tomography - three-dimensional images of the brain attained by an x-ray scanner |
| Central Nervous System (CNS) |
The part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord |
Cogwheeling/
Cogwheel Rigidity |
Stiffness in the muscles of PD patients that produces a ratcheted resistance in a limb that is being moved by an examiner |
| COMTAN® |
A medication containing the COMT inhibitor that must be taken in combination with carbidopa/levodopa--used to extend levodopa benefits |
| COMT Inhibitor |
A chemical substance such as COMTAN that can be used to inhibit the COMT enzyme and slow the breakdown of levodopa and similar chemicals. COMT inhibitors make more levodopa available to go to the brain |
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