I wonder if the improvement in symptoms is because nicotine is a stimulant? We experienced the same improvement in symptoms on the patch as we did later, after stopping the patch, by taking the following other stimulants:

1. adderall (doc gave us a script several years ago, warning it is highly addictive psychologically, so we take half of one or even a whole one when needed, rarely) it really does help but you feel like $#!@ after it wears off

2. very strong coffee...we never drank coffee before PD but once in awhile will, if very strong (gag) it has the same effect as a nico patch or adderall

3. those five hour energy drinks (called 5 Hour Energy Drink, how creative) also really help with symptoms....but again, it wears off and then you feel worse than you would have it you hadn't had it

We really wonder if the improvement is because these are all really stimulants and they are revving you up? I dont' get that taking a nico patch somehow makes your brain grow more nicotine receptors...which in turn makes your brain grow more dopamine receptors. This doesn't work for me. Maybe someone can explain it to me to where I can get it?

The other thing: I don't know that lack of receptors is the problem in PD. I thought it was the lack of dopamine producing neurons. Having all the receptors in the world will not help us if we lack the cell that makes what the receptor binds to, right? Or no?

I would really like to see some hard data of before and after PET scans or the DAT scans mentioned, I don't really know the difference between the two but if you could actually see higher concentrations of dopamine cells in the brain once the patch treatment was started, that would be something. Thanks very much for sharing this! Perhaps I should brush on my French, oui?