What medications act to reduce the breakdown of L-dopa outside the blood-brain barrier?
A) COMT inhibitors
B) dopamine agonists
C) MAO-B inhibitors
D) decarboxylase inhibitors
E) anticholinergic meds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Decarboxylase inhibitors (such as carbidopa) act to reduce the breakdown of L-dopa outside the blood-brain barrier, which allows more L-dopa to reach the brain and be converted into dopamine. This results in improved symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. COMT inhibitors (A) also help to reduce breakdown of L-dopa, but they primarily act to prolong the duration of action of L-dopa in the brain. Dopamine agonists (B) mimic the action of dopamine in the brain and do not affect the breakdown of L-dopa. MAO-B inhibitors (C) help to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain by blocking the enzyme that breaks it down, but they do not affect the breakdown of L-dopa outside the blood-brain barrier. Anticholinergic medications (E) can be used to treat some of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but they do not affect the breakdown of L-dopa.

What Medications Act to Reduce the Breakdown of L-Dopa Outside