1. L-DOPA can be broken down into dopamine by Dopa decarboxylase. As Parkinson’s disease is caused by a lack of dopamine secreting neurons, giving a patient L-DOPA can essentially increase dopamine levels in the patient.
b. MAO-B breaks down dopamine, meaning that patients with Parkinson’s disease would eventually run out of dopamine as they are unable to replenish dopamine levels. Thus, by giving them selegeline which inhibits MAo-B, dopamine would not be broken down and can be preserved.
c. COMT breaks down L-DOPA to a substance which is not dopamine. Thus, by inhibiting COMT, more L-DOPA can be converted into dopamine which would make it more abundant and help the patient with Parkinson’s disease.
d. Agonist is a substance which initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor. Thus, by giving the patient ropinirole, more dopamine can be produced.
e. Safinamide would decrease the re-uptake of dopamine iby the pre-synaptic neuron and keep it available in the synapse for use in synapsis.
2. a. Because stem cells can be differentiated into any cell in the body, they may one day replace any missing dopamine secreting neurons in the brian.
b. In gene therapy, viruses artificially carry a gene and insert it into our DNA so that it can then be “activated”. Through advancements in this field, we may be able to take the gene which either codes for the production of more dopamine secreting neurons, or any enzymes which help in the creation of it, and help patients with Parkinson’s disease.