EFFECTS OF BROMOCRIPTINE IN HUNTINGTON CHOREA CASE-REPORT

1. The effects of bromocriptine (BC) on choreiform movement were compa red with those of bromperidol (BP) and fluphenazine (FLZ) in a patient with Huntington disease. The patient (male, 42 years old) was treated with BP (15 mg/day, 4 weeks) , FLZ (3 mg/day, 4 weeks), low dose of B C (5 mg/day, 4 weeks) and relatively high dose of BC (10 mg/day, 8 wee ks) . The CSF content of homovanilic acid (HVA) was assayed at last da y of the each drug trial. The efficacy of the drugs was evaluated by e lectromyography. 2. Although BP and FLZ did not succeed to ameliorate the choreiform movement, both low dose and high dose BC showed rapid i mprovement of the involuntary movement. The CSF HVA concentration was 35.0 ng/ml before beginning treatment. Whereas FLZ and high dose of BC substantially increased the levels of HVA after the dosage (49.3 and 53.1 ng/ml, respectively), moderate increase of HVA (41.5 ng/ml) was o bserved when the low dose of BC was administered. These observations s uggest that increase of CSF HVA might be necessary for clinical improv ement of choreiform movement but not correlate with the degree of impr ovement and dopamine agonists could be useful drug for the treatment o f choreiform movement which is refractory to the administration of neu roleptics.