Dopamine and levodopa are equally effective in treating Parkinson disease because they are both able to enter the brain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

While dopamine is a neurotransmitter that naturally exists in the brain and can cross the blood-brain barrier, levodopa is a precursor to dopamine that can convert to dopamine in the brain. Levodopa is commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease because the brain of Parkinson's patients have decreased dopamine availability due to the death of dopamine-producing neurons. While both dopamine and levodopa can improve Parkinson's symptoms, levodopa is typically more effective because it can be converted to dopamine in the brain, whereas dopamine taken orally has difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Dopamine and Levodopa Are Equally Effective in Treating Parkinson Disease