Neural activity changes in the Supplementary Motor Area induced by dopaminergic treatment in parkinsonian patients

In this research, we study the neural activity changes in supplementary motor area (SMA) in patients with Parkinson's disease using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the effect of DOPA medication on neural activity. The correlation between the observed changes and motor improvement was also tested. Statistical parametric mapping was used to detect differences in the cortical activity when the pattern of parkinson's disease (PD) patients is compared with both the normal pattern and after DOPA supply. Patients show abnormal activation intensities in rostral and caudal supplementary motor area (SMA), which is normalized after dopaminergic pathways (DOPA) medication. The improvement in the clinical outcome correlated with an increase in fMRI signal, particularly with improvement of hypokinesia. The study indicates that cardinal symptoms in PD are associated with inappropriate underactivity in SMA.