[reverett123]

Now, this is interesting... It is also interesting that no mention of a possible new approach occurred to him/her:


1: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1992;107(2-3):203-10.

Pavlovian conditioning of L-dopa induced movement.

Carey RJ.

Research and Development Service, VA Medical Center, NY 0298-4799.

Using the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) substantia nigra pars compacta
(SNC) lesion rat model and a Pavlovian conditioning protocol, the present
investigation determined that the contralateral rotation response induced by the
antiparkinsonian dopaminergic drug L-dopa can become conditioned to exteroceptive
test environment stimuli. Two non-drug conditioning tests indicated that
contralateral rotation was elicited by the test environment without the presence
of L-dopa. This conditioned response had a rotation diameter profile that was
qualitatively the same as the L-dopa induced contralateral rotation response.
Additionally, drug tests with the combined dopaminergic receptor antagonists, SCH
23390 (0.1 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg), at doses sufficient to block
spontaneous behavior and L-dopa (20 mg/kg)-induced rotation, revealed that the
conditioned contralateral rotation response, unlike L-dopa-induced contralateral
rotation, is not affected by D1/D2 receptor blockade. Thus, the conditioned
stimuli of the test environment can elicit the contralateral rotation response
even in animals rendered akinetic by D1/D2 antagonists. This activation of a
conditioned dopaminergic drug response by the situational stimuli, independent of
dopaminergic mechanisms, may, therefore, contribute to the untoward
overstimulation clinical effects of L-dopa through summation of conditioned and
drug-induced effects. Furthermore, the use of conditioning procedures to elicit
movement in akinetic animals may provide a new research methodology to
investigate the phenomenon of paradoxical kinesia.


PMID: 1615121 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[lindylanka]

rick, this caught my eye as i will soon go on conductive education training for pwps, don't know of anywhere else other than my city where this is available. in essence it is re-educating responses making new neural pathways. better known of course from peto institute in europe which deals mainly with cerebral palsy patients. don't understand all of article, but thought it related in some way to practical application in conductive education. will of course report back once am started

lindy

[AnnT2]

Rick -
Could you rephrase what you posted in simpler language?

Ann

[reverett123]

OK, but someone correct me as needed.
They took a rat and gave him enough Ldopa to elicit a particular behavior. At the same time, they, for example, played Mozart. After a time, they just played Mozart without the Ldopa. The rat acted as though he had received it, even though he had not. But it wasn't that they had tricked him into making more dopamine, because they used an antagonist which would have blocked it. The rat still acted as though he had been given Ldopa.

In personal terms, if we associate a particular piece of music, or scent, or any stimulus, with every time we take a sinemet tablet, eventually just the scent etc. may have the effect without the tablet.

By coincidence, a few days before I ran across that study, my wife, who is as bad as I am, had insisted on putting an Altoid peppermint in each bottle of pills with the same idea in mind. So now, each time I take a tablet I will get a whiff of peppermint. In theory, eventually I will be able to take just an Altoid and get a similar effect. Will it work? I don't know, but it did for the rat.

What it really means is that there is a heck of a lot we don't know and a lot of possibilities.

Originally Posted by AnnT2

Rick -
Could you rephrase what you posted in simpler language?

Ann

[annefrobert]

At last, Rick, you arrive to the right level to work upon........
"Keep them focused upon chemistry, you will keep them in dependance" could have been or has or is still a good strategy, no?

A lot to think and behave!
Anne

[indigogo]

Isn't this just another way to talk about the placebo response?

[paula_w]

I went to a wedding where there is a road called Gravity Hill. Your car backs up the hill. Water flows up. A ball rolls up the hill. There is another one nearby. No one can explain it. The magnetic force is so powerful, how could we even think that we can figure out the human body, without patient emotions and expectations?

Current thinking is pavlov training us to chemicals; it obviously isn't the answer.

paula

[rd42]

Originally Posted by reverett123

So now, each time I take a tablet I will get a whiff of peppermint. In theory, eventually I will be able to take just an Altoid and get a similar effect. Will it work? I don't know, but it did for the rat.

Rick - are you still doing this? Any results?

Thanks,
Robert

[reverett123]

I'm afraid it fell by the wayside for now. If anyone wants to take it up- The lag from altoid to dopamine is too long. Try the oil just as the first med rush of the day washes over you.

[rd42]

Originally Posted by reverett123

...as the first med rush of the day washes over you.

...that's a great description. I usually feel some subtle changes in my thoughts, then my ankle relaxes, then it washes over. Ahh, to feel normal again.