Summary: r Human Brain Mapping 000:000­000 (2009) r
Focusing Effects of L-Dopa in Parkinson's Disease
Bernard Ng,1
* Samantha Palmer,2
Rafeef Abugharbieh,1,3
and Martin J. McKeown1,2,3,4
1
Biomedical Signal and Image Computing Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2
Pacific Parkinson's Research Center, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
3
Brain Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
4
Department of Medicine (Neurology), The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
r r
Abstract: Previous fMRI motor studies in Parkinson's disease (PD) have suggested that L-dopa may
``normalize'' areas of hypo- and hyperactivity. However, results from these studies, which were largely
based on analyzing BOLD signal amplitude, have been conflicting. Examining only amplitude changes
at distinct loci may thus be inadequate in fully capturing the activation changes induced by L-dopa. In

Source: Abugharbieh, Rafeef - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia

Collections: Biology and Medicine; Computer Technologies and Information Sciences