Pathologic laughing and crying treated with levodopa
F. Udaka, S. Yamao, H. Nagata, S. Nakamura and M. Kameyama
Levodopa or amantadine hydrochloride was administered to 25 patients with
pathologic laughing and/or crying. This symptom was markedly improved in
ten cases, most of which were devoid of a cortical atrophy or a
periventricular lucency in computed tomographic scan and also devoid of a
severe dementia or a disturbance in activity of daily living. The
concentration of homovanillic acid in the CSF of the patients was
significantly decreased, whereas the concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic
acid remained within the normal limit. Because part of pathologic laughing
and crying seems to be caused by the decreased function of the dopaminergic
neuron, levodopa or amantadine is worth trying.
