[reverett123]

1. Gerontology. 1987;33(3-4):168-71.

Dopamine action and disorders of neurotransmitter balance.

Birkmayer W, Birkmayer JD.

Evangelic Hospital, Vienna, Austria.

Disorders of neurotransmitter balance are observed in Parkinson's disease,
pharmacotoxic psychosis and depression. The dopamine-serotonin ratio is reduced
to about 20% in Parkinson and pharmacotoxic patients in the caudate nucleus and
in the substantia nigra. The serotonin content in these brain areas is lowered
only to about 50% in comparison to that of the control, whereas the dopamine
level is reduced to 85% in Parkinson patients. This dopamine deficiency has been
substituted by exogenous supply of L-dopa in combination with decarboxylase and
monoaminooxydase inhibitors. First evidence is presented that L-dopa can be
replaced, at least partially, by iron in form of a ferriascorbate complex. This
iron compound improves the symptoms of Parkinson's disease to almost the same
extent as L-dopa.

PMID: 3653699 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

The Birkmayers were once big names in PD research. Here they report that iron is as good as Ldopa. When we ask about iron we get vague warnings and little more. Anyone know more on this?