Re: Internet Message

["Tebay, Wendy M" <wendy.m.tebay@xxxxxxxx>]

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I was just reading thru some of my old pd emails, and came across discussion
regarding sustantia nigra coloration and incident radiation.  I've often
wondered, that if in addition to the fact that I believe a previous severe
reaction to the drug Compazine may have led in part to my pd, if the fact
that I also worked at a reactor for two years in grad school may have also
played a role.  It's kind of ironic, cuz my research was on the oxidative
degradation of cable insulation (i.e., radiation. especially combined with
oxygen, significantly speeds up the deterioration of organic materials).
Not only could this happen to cabling, but it's just as likely it could have
done the same to my brain, esp. if it had already been damaged by the
compazine.

Scary.

Wendy

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Date:         Sat, 18 Jul 1998 17:23:26 EDT
Reply-To:     Parkinson's Information Exchange <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender:       Parkinson's Information Exchange <PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
From:         William Heitman <HEITBILL@xxxxxxx>
Subject:      the new medicines

List friends,

I want to offer a short biochemistry lesson: (from better than a decade o=
f=0Amemory-don't pick me too close).  My purpose is to give you a working=
=0Aunderstanding of how the new medicines work.

Dopamine is a chemical messenger between certain ("dopaminergic") nerve c=
ells.=0AIt operates in the synapses (the tiny space that separates commun=
icating=0Anerves).

Between normal cells, part of that dopamine is taken up and reused by the=
=0Asending neuron.  Another part is destroyed.  Dopamine is broken down i=
n the=0Abody by two enzymes-Mono Amine Oxidase (MAO) and Catachol -O- Met=
hyl=0ATransferase (COMT).

General principle: when something is named an =85ase, it is an enzyme.  T=
hese=0Aare usually protein molecules.  They often posses interesting chem=
ical and/or=0Amechanical properties They operate at the molecular level.

Selegiline, (Deprenyl) is a selective MAO B (for brain) inhibitor.  In th=
e=0Arecommended doses, it does not bother MAO A which destroys dopamine i=
n=0Asynapses outside the brain.  The two COMT inhibitors we have now (Tas=
mar is=0Aavailable) are not selective.  They decrease dopamine destructio=
n in the whole=0Abody.  Fortunately, there is carbidopa (blocks the enzym=
e that turns levodopa=0Ainto dopamine outside the brain) in Sinemet.  Thi=
s prevents the accumulation=0Aof dopamine in the body outside the brain. =
 Thus, elevated B/P, increased=0Aheart rate and other symptoms of excess =
dopamine do not have to be a problem.

Summary:
1 Dopamine is broken down two ways: MAO and COMT
2 Deprenyl and Tasmar block these enzymes, respectively
3 The net effect is that of more dopamine.
4 Tasmar operates outside the brain as well as in the brain

If you understand how this works you can understand how to use these new=
=0Amedicines.  I prefer very slow changes.  Hope you find this helpful.

Regards,
WHH 54/18