Huntington's chorea - the rigid form (Westphal variant) treated with l DOPA: a case report

In a patient with Huntington chorea improvement was marginal even on 4.5 levo DOPA G/day in a trial extending over 3 mth. The bradykinesia and rigidity improved only marginally. It is interesting that, no involuntary movements developed on levo DOPA. This is a little surprising as involuntary movements are usually exaggerated on small doses. Indeed, this sensitivity has been used as a provocative test in the detection of presymptomatic classic Huntington chorea. It would seem that treatment with levo DOPA in this desease, in which mental changes may occur spontaneously, is not without considerable risk.