ergoline and Tremor

Topics: Amantadine; Apomorphine; Bromocriptine; Dopamine; Ergolines; Extrapyramidal Tracts; Female; Humans; Levodopa; Male; Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; Neurotransmitter Agents; Parkinson Disease; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; Piribedil; Tremor

Tremor is one of the cardinal symptoms in Parkinson's disease, but only few clinical studies have focussed on its therapy as the primary endpoint. One reason is the substantial fluctuation of tremor severity over time, which is difficult to capture and may render momentary clinical assessments unreliable.. We evaluated the usefulness of a novel wrist-worn actigraph allowing long-term recordings of tremor in a pilot study, in which we assessed the therapeutic effect of cabergoline on tremor in 10 patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease. Clinical data were obtained by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Part III, item 20) and simultaneously a patient's tremor diary.. We found a significant reduction in UPDRS motor and tremor scores, in tremor duration and tremor amplitude by actigraphy and diaries. Furthermore, we found significant correlations between actigraphy measurements and patient ratings of tremor intensity and occurrence in diaries.. Long-term actigraphy is a reliable method to assess tremor occurrence and severity and may be used to document antitremor effects in clinical studies.

Topics: Aged; Antiparkinson Agents; Cabergoline; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Monitoring, Ambulatory; Motor Activity; Parkinson Disease; Pilot Projects; Severity of Illness Index; Tremor

A double-blind crossover study was performed in 12 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism to compare their response to bromocriptine with their response to previous optimal drug treatment, including levodopa. There was a 26 percent overall improvement with bromocriptine; rigidity, tremor, and facial expression showed the greatest response. Seven of eight patients who were taking levodopa at the beginning of the study was taken off the drug completely. Adverse reactions were transient and dose-dependent. Bromocriptine promises to be an effective new therapeutic agent in the treatment of idiopathic parkinsonism.

Topics: Aged; Bromocriptine; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Evaluation; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Levodopa; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Rigidity; Parkinson Disease; Tremor

We examined the effects of two dopamine agonists, cabergoline and rotigotine, on tacrine-induced tremor and c-Fos expression in rats.. Rats received intraperitoneal injection of cabergoline (0.5, 1.0, or 5.0mg/kg), rotigotine (1.0, 2.5, or 10.0mg/kg), or vehicle 30min before intraperitoneal injection of tacrine (5.0mg/kg). The number of tremulous jaw movements (TJMs) after tacrine administration was counted for 5min. Animals were sacrificed 2h later under deep anesthesia, and the brain sections were immunostained in order to evaluate the c-Fos expression.. Induction of TJMs by tacrine was dose-dependently reduced by pretreatment with cabergoline and rotigotine. The number of c-Fos-positive cells was significantly enhanced in the medial striatum, nucleus accumbens core, and nucleus accumbens shell after tacrine administration, and the enhanced expression of c-Fos in these three regions was significantly attenuated by cabergoline, while rotigotine suppressed c-Fos expression in two regions except the nucleus accumbens core.. These results suggest that tacrine-induced TJMs would be relieved by either cabergoline or rotigotine and that anticholinesterase-induced TJMs and the ameliorating effects of dopamine agonists would relate to neuronal activation in the striatum and nucleus accumbens.

Topics: Animals; Cabergoline; Corpus Striatum; Dopamine Agonists; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ergolines; Jaw; Male; Nucleus Accumbens; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; Tacrine; Tetrahydronaphthalenes; Thiophenes; Tremor

Topics: Antiparkinson Agents; Brain Stem Infarctions; Cabergoline; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ergolines; Humans; Ischemia; Male; Middle Aged; Tremor

In this report, we describe the natural intoxication of 2 dogs that consumed moldy dairy products found in the household garbage and the procedures used to identify and quantify the tremorgenic mycotoxins, roquefortine and penitrem A, in the remaining portions of ingested materials. Following the ingestion of mycotoxins, the dogs of our report developed muscle tremors or seizures that resembled clinical signs of strychnine poisoning. Roquefortine was the predominant mycotoxin in a moldy cream cheese wrapper that was found among scattered garbage consumed by the first dog. Penitrem A was the only mycotoxin detected in discarded moldy macaroni and cheese that was consumed by the second dog. Treatment of dogs with tremorgenic mycotoxin intoxication involves supportive care. Close monitoring is important because the development of aspiration pneumonia is common and has been reported as the cause of death. Clinical signs of intoxication gradually resolve within 24 to 48 hours.

Topics: Animals; Ataxia; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Ergolines; Female; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Indoles; Male; Mycotoxicosis; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Piperazines; Status Epilepticus; Tremor

Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that induce undesirable effects. The effects of these mycotoxins vary depending on the chemical structure of the toxin and degree of toxicity. Mycotoxins that induce muscle tremors, ataxia, and convulsions are termed tremorgenic mycotoxins. Our report documents the clinical course of 4 dogs from a single household that were simultaneously affected by tremorgenic mycotoxins. Diagnosis of tremorgenic mycotoxicosis was confirmed by stomach content analysis from 1 of the dogs. The mycotoxins identified were penitrem A and roquefortine, which are both produced by Penicillium spp. Treatment goals following tremorgenic mycotoxin ingestion include minimizing absorption, controlling tremors and seizures with methocarbamol and pentobarbital sodium administration, and providing supportive care. Two of the affected dogs required ventilatory support. With early aggressive treatment, prognosis is good and recovery is complete without sequelae. It is helpful for the clinician to be familiar with the typical clinical signs at the time of admission, treatment, and clinical course of dogs with tremorgenic mycotoxicosis.

Topics: Animals; Ataxia; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Ergolines; Gastrointestinal Contents; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Indoles; Male; Mycotoxicosis; Mycotoxins; Piperazines; Seizures; Tremor

Two dogs developed alarming tremorgenic nervous stimulation shortly after ingesting discarded rice that had been forgotten in a refrigerator for an undetermined period and that was covered with a grey-green mould. Both dogs exhibited vomition followed by slight salivation, tremors and ataxia and 1 showed such severe agitation and seizures that it necessitated anaesthesia with thiopentone followed, on recovery, by xylazine. The other dog was only sedated with xylazine. They made an uneventful recovery. The rice vomitus yielded a pure culture of Penicillium crustosum. On chemical analysis it was negative for organochlorine, organophosphor and carbamate insecticides, as well as for strychnine, but contained 2.6 microg/g of the mycotoxins penitrem A as well as 34 microg/g of roquefortine as determined by LC-MS and confirmed by MS-MS. This is the 1st South African case of naturally occurring penitrem A toxicosis and also the 1st case where quantification of the levels of mycotoxins in dog vomitus is reported. The tremorgenicity of roquefortine and its contribution towards this syndrome, is questioned.

Topics: Animals; Ataxia; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Ergolines; Female; Food Contamination; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Gastrointestinal Contents; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Indoles; Mycotoxicosis; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Piperazines; Tremor; Vomiting

The antitremor effect of the D2 agonist LY 171555 and of the D1 agonist CY 208-243 alone and in combination was tested in a monkey previously rendered parkinsonian by MPTP and displaying exceptionally a rest tremor in the limbs. The D2 agonist suppressed rest tremor in a dose-dependent fashion. The D1 agonist by itself had no effect but it potentiated the effect of a small dose of LY 171555.

Topics: 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; Animals; Antiparkinson Agents; Dopamine Agents; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination; Electromyography; Ergolines; Female; Indoles; Injections, Subcutaneous; Macaca fascicularis; Parkinson Disease, Secondary; Phenanthridines; Quinpirole; Tremor

Based on the hypothesis that low-threshold calcium conductance in the thalamus might be involved in the pathophysiology of parkinsonian tremor, ethosuximide was given chronically to a monkey previously treated with MPTP and displaying exceptionally a typical rest tremor. After 5 days of daily treatment, the tremor was reduced by 60%. Diltiazem and verapamil which act on different calcium channels had no such effect. Ethosuximide also potentiated the anti-tremor effect of the dopamine D2 agonist LY-171555.

Topics: 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; Animals; Diltiazem; Dopamine Agents; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Electromyography; Ergolines; Ethosuximide; Female; Macaca fascicularis; Neurologic Examination; Parkinson Disease, Secondary; Quinpirole; Tremor; Verapamil

The antiserotonin properties of a series of new ergoline derivatives were investigated in several pharmacological test systems which have been proposed for the characterization of putative antagonists at central and peripheral 5-HT2 receptors. In radioligand binding studies with [3H]ketanserin among the new ergolines only 1-methyl-2-brom-9,10-dihydrolysergic acid-bis(beta-acetoxyethyl)-amide (AWD 52-336) showed high affinity at cortical 5-HT2 receptors (Ki-5.4 nmol/l). In 5-HT-amplified ADP-induced aggregation of human platelets 6-nor-6-propyl-9,10-dihydro ergometrine (AWD 52-227) and 9,10-dihydrolysergic acid-di-ethanol-amide (AWD 52-302) were potent inhibitors of 5-HT response. Comparison of this two in vitro tests demonstrated a significant correlation (r = 0.636; p < 0.05) between the ability of the ergolines to block the 5-HT aggregation mediated by platelet 5-HT2 receptors and their affinity to [3H]ketanserin-labelled binding sites in rat cortical membranes. In the used in vivo tests (tryptamine tremor, 5-HTP-induced head twitches) 1-methyl-9,10-dihydrolysergic acid-bis(beta-acetoxyethyl)-amide (AWD 52-83) and AWD 52-336 were found to antagonize the behavioural responses with comparatively moderate potency. The results suggest, therefore, that AWD 52-83 and AWD 52-336 may be both central and peripheral acting 5-HT2 antagonists, whereas AWD 52-227 and AWD 52-302 seem to be potent blockers at peripheral 5-HT2 receptors. Furthermore, the obtained results allow to reveal structure-activity relationships of ergolines. Substitution in position 1 in the tetracyclic ergoline ring system may be important with respect to the efficacy at central 5-HT2 receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: 5-Hydroxytryptophan; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Brain; Ergolines; In Vitro Techniques; Ketanserin; Male; Peripheral Nerves; Platelet Aggregation; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; Radioligand Assay; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Serotonin; Serotonin; Tremor; Tryptamines

When human divers and experimental animals are exposed to an increasing environmental pressure, they develop the high pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS) characterized by electroencephalographic changes and sleep and behavioral disturbances. In rats, behavioral disturbances essentially include hyperlocomotor activity (HLA), tremor and myoclonia. Moreover, HLA has recently been demonstrated to be linked to a pressure-induced striatal increase of dopamine (DA). In these experiments, it was proposed to investigate in rats, at the behavioral level, the role of DA receptors in the occurrence of the pressure-induced DA disturbances. DA receptor agonists were found to induce no significant changes in the development of HLA, tremor, and myoclonia. Alternatively, HLA was found to be dramatically antagonized by the use of DA receptor antagonists (SCH 23390, sulpiride, and haloperidol), while tremor and myoclonia only decreased in SCH 23390 experiments.

Topics: 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine; Animals; Apomorphine; Atmospheric Pressure; Behavior, Animal; Dopamine Agents; Epilepsies, Myoclonic; Ergolines; Haloperidol; High Pressure Neurological Syndrome; Injections, Intraventricular; Male; Motor Activity; Quinpirole; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Dopamine; Sulpiride; Tremor

The effects of the 8-alpha-amino-ergoline CU 32-085 on central dopamine neuronal systems was investigated. Two h after administration of CU 32-085 a slight increase of dopamine levels was observed in the nucleus caudatus-putamen. Radioligand binding studies in vitro have shown that CU 32-085 has a low affinity for striatal dopamine receptors labeled by [3H]n-propylapomorphine or [3H]spiroperidol. However, CU 32-085 effectively displaces in vivo [3H]n-propylapomorphine and [3H]spiroperidol from their respective binding sites in the mouse striatum. Functional studies have shown that CU 32-085 elicits contralateral rotation in rats with unilateral 6-OH-dopamine induced lesions of the meso-striatal dopamine neurons, and ipsilateral rotation in rats with unilateral intrastriatal ibotenic acid lesions. CU 32-085 relieves tremor in monkeys with ventromedial tegmental lesions and produces only slight abnormal involuntary movements. The biochemical and functional studies suggest that CU 32-085 and/or its metabolite exerts central dopamine agonist activity in vivo. Studies in monkeys with ventromedial tegmental lesions suggest that CU 32-085 might be an effective antiparkinsonian agent which produces less dyskinesias than the other tested dopamine agonists.

Topics: Animals; Antiparkinson Agents; Brain; Chlorocebus aethiops; Corpus Striatum; Dopamine; Ergolines; Female; Male; Mice; Motor Activity; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Dopamine; Tremor

Clinical experience of lysuride maleate acid in the treatment of 88 patients with occasional and 12 patients with chronic headache is reported. After 3-5 months observations the treatment was judged effective (excellent, good, satisfactory) in 72% of the cases and ineffective (poor, nil) in 28%. Side effects were few and short-lived, consisting mainly of slight nausea and asthenia. In 2 cases treatment was suspended as ineffective (in the patient's opinion).

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Drug Evaluation; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Lisuride; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine Disorders; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Speech Disorders; Tremor

Two new indolic metabolites were isolated from Penicillium crustosum and separated from other penitrem mycotoxins by high-performance liquid chromatography. Penitrem D is a deoxy-penitrem A. Penitrem E is dechloro-penitrem A and was shown to be tremorgenic in mice, although it has only one-third of the activity of penitrem A. Roquefortine was also shown, for the first time, to be an important metabolic product of P. crustosum.

Topics: Animals; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Chromatography, Liquid; Ergolines; Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings; Indoles; Mice; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Piperazines; Tremor

The activity of pergolide, an N-propylergoline derivative, has been tested for stimulation of central dopaminergic receptors. Binding to dopamine receptors shows that pergolide acts as an agonist with respect to these receptors. GTP decreases the potencies of dopamine agonists and of pergolide, but not of bromocriptine, to displace [3H]spiroperidol ([3H]Spi) from striatal membrane sites. The GTP-sensitive site labeled by [3H]Spi seems to be localized on intrastriatal dopamine receptors. The potency of dopamine agonists and of pergolide to displace [3H]Spi from striatal receptor sites is reduced in membranes exposed to higher temperatures. Pergolide, but not hitherto-tested dopaminergic ergots, stimulates dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase in striatal homogenates. Thus, pergolide, unlike other dopaminergic ergots, acts as an agonist on GTP-sensitive components of [3H]Spi binding and stimulates dopamine receptors linked to dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase. The drug also induces turning behavior in rats with 6-OH-dopamine lesions and relieves tremor in monkeys with ventromedial tegmental lesions for a longer time at a lower dose than other tested dopaminergic ergots. Other studies have shown that it is effective in the treatment of patients with advanced parkinsonism.

Topics: Adenylyl Cyclases; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Binding, Competitive; Cattle; Cerebral Decortication; Chlorocebus aethiops; Corpus Striatum; Ergolines; Guanosine Triphosphate; Hot Temperature; Male; Pergolide; Rats; Receptors, Dopamine; Spiperone; Tegmentum Mesencephali; Tremor

Topics: Animals; Cattle; Corpus Striatum; Dopamine; Ergolines; Haplorhini; Humans; Neural Pathways; Rats; Receptors, Dopamine; Spiperone; Stereotyped Behavior; Substantia Nigra; Tegmentum Mesencephali; Tremor

Topics: Acetonitriles; Animals; Bromocriptine; Corpus Striatum; Ergolines; Ergot Alkaloids; Haplorhini; Humans; Levodopa; Parkinson Disease; Receptors, Dopamine; Spiperone; Substantia Nigra; Synaptosomes; Tremor; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Studies on rats with unilateral nigral lesions suggest that a new ergoline, CF 25-397, is a dopaminergic agonist that might improve parkinsonism. CF 25-397 induces less stereotyped behavior than other dopaminergic agents in rats, and might therefore cause less dyskinesia than levodopa in man. We investigated the clinical actions of CF 25-397 in nine patients. During treatment, severe deterioration resulted in hypokinesia and rigidity; five patients showed marked dysphagia and dysphonia. There was statistically significant deterioration in four timed tests. Mild improvement, not statistically significant, was noted in tremor. These results indicate that clinical implication of the response to potential therapeutic agents in rodent models of parkinsonism must be interpreted with caution.

Topics: Aged; Animals; Corpus Striatum; Deglutition Disorders; Disease Models, Animal; Dopamine; Drug Evaluation; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Movement Disorders; Parkinson Disease; Rats; Species Specificity; Stereotyped Behavior; Tremor

The antiparkinsonian activity of bromocriptine, a presumed dopaminergic receptor agonist, was investigated in monkeys with surgically induced tremor and in a group of parkinsonian patients. A single administration of bromocriptine resulted in a dose-dependent relief of tremor in monkeys. Repeated administration enhanced this effect. Only mild abnormal involuntary movements were observed and only after repeated administration. Eleven patients with Parkinson's disease were treated with bromocriptine (mean dose, 26.4 mg a day). Clinically obvious improvement was noted in one or more of the cardinal signs of the disease in six patients (responders). No obvious improvement in any of the cardinal signs was noted in the remaining five patients (nonresponders). Clinically, the responders were older and more severely affected and had been on a higher dose of levodopa. However, they had had the disease for a shorter period. It is suggested that failure to respond to bromocriptine may be related to a decrease in the sensitivity of postsynaptic dopaminergic receptors.

Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ergolines; Haplorhini; Humans; Movement Disorders; Parkinson Disease; Time Factors; Tremor

The antiparkinsonian activity of lergotrile mesylate, a presumed dopaminergic receptor stimulating agent, was investigating in monkeys with surgically induced tremor and in parkinsonian patients. The administration of lergotrile resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the intensity of tremor in the monkeys. In 13 patients with Parkinson's disease treated with lergotrile (up to 12 mg a day), overall improvement was observed in five. Tremor was the main clinical feature to benefit, and the improvement reached statistical significance. In a subgroup of four patients treated with a higher dose of lergotrile (up to 20 mg a day), further improvement in rigidity and bradykinesia was noted, but again, only improvement in tremor was statistically significant. Adverse effects included orthostatic hypotension, behavioral alterations, and nausea and vomiting. These were severe enough to result in drug withdrawal in three patients.

Topics: Acetonitriles; Aged; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Dopamine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Evaluation; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Ergolines; Female; Gait; Haplorhini; Humans; Male; Mesylates; Middle Aged; Muscle Rigidity; Parkinson Disease; Prolactin; Receptors, Drug; Tremor

Topics: Adult; Aged; Benzocycloheptenes; Dihydroxyphenylalanine; Ergolines; Female; Histamine H1 Antagonists; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parkinson Disease; Piperidines; Promethazine; Thiophenes; Tremor; Trihexyphenidyl

Topics: Adult; Aged; Amantadine; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Parkinson Disease; Promethazine; Tremor; Trihexyphenidyl