Research paper

Effects of daily L-dopa administration on learning and brain structure in older adults undergoing cognitive training: a randomised clinical trial

Scientific Reports

Mar 2020

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62172-y

Citations: 14

Influential: 0

Interventional (Human) Studies

Study answer

What this study found

L-dopa supplementation resulted in less improvement in spatial intelligence compared to placebo and did not enhance cognitive performance. The adverse effects on cognition raise concerns for the use of L-dopa in healthy older adults.

Study & population: Sixty-three healthy older adults were randomly assigned to receive either L-dopa (100/25 mg) or placebo while undergoing cognitive training focused on spatial and verbal fluid intelligence.
Intervention: Participants aged 65-75 years received either L-dopa/benserazide or a placebo before each cognitive training session, conducted over four weeks.
Key limitation: Lack of additional control groups and possible cumulative effects of L-dopa due to the rapid absorption of the drug; not all cognitive measures showed statistically significant effects.

View source

Open PDF

Original abstract

No abstract is available for this paper.