Successful treatment of severe abulia with co-beneldopa

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bakheit, A.M.O.^{; *} | Fletcher, K. | Brennan, A.

Affiliations: Moseley Hall Hospital, Birmingham, UK

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Prof. A.M.O. Bakheit, Moseley Hall Hospital, Alcester Road, Birmingham B13 8JL, UK. Tel.: +44 121 442 3302; E-mail: Magid.bakheit@bhamcommunity.nhs.uk

Abstract: Abulia is a disorder of the executive and frontal lobe function. It is characterised by severe psychomotor slowing that is not due to depressive illness or catatonic schizophrenia. Abulia is thought to be due to disruption of the meso-cortico-limbic dopaminergic system. Preliminary evidence suggests that patients with abulia may respond to treatment with dopaminergic drugs. We extend this evidence by reporting a significant and sustained functional improvement in a severely abulic patient after treatment with co-beneldopa (Madopar).

Keywords: Abulia treatment, akinetic mutism, levodopa therapy

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0711

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 347-351, 2011