Drug addiction is a serious thing. The extent to which an addict would go is decided by the desire, craving, knowledge and intelligence of the individual. He would go any length to procure the drug or even to manufacture it! This is the story of such 'committed ' addicts!
Barry from Maryland spent some time in India with his family He initially bought the medicines from the street. One day in 1976, he took the drug manufactured by him intravenously. He felt severe burning at the site of injection and a sense of euphoria. Within three days he became immobile and mute. He was admitted to a hospital with a diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia and was given phenothiazines to which he did not respond. He was promptly shifted to NIH where he was evaluated.Though the symptoms and signs closely mimicked Parkinson's disease, the suddenness of symptoms made them suspect a toxic etiology. Their research showed that he had tried to synthesize a chemical called MPPP ( related to Meperidine). He inadvertently overheated the mixture and synthesizes MPTP instead. They had come very close to the answer. The next step was to try the hypothesis in the rats. They injected the rats with the same compound. Rats are not as susceptible to the toxic effects of MPTP and the catatonic phase seen was temporary. This resulted in a setback and the further research did not get priority. The issue became dormant.
In 1979, Barry's case was published. L Dopa was tried. He improved significantly and the speech returned. In 1978, he died of cocaine overdose. In 1982, George was found to have similar syndrome. He was also having extrapyramidal syndrome - Diphenhydramine did not work. He rapidly worsened and became stiff and immobile. He was later evaluated at Stanford.
William Langston tried to find a connection. MPTP seemed to damage the mitochondria of dopaminergic neurons. Dopamine reuptake blockers could prevent this damage. L Dopa gave temporary relief . Drug holidays prolonged the response but eventually the drug stopped working. Eventually a steriotactic implantnation of fetal tissue was done in Lund, Sweden. This was tried in 2 patients George and Juanita and both did well.
The research showed that the compound, MPTP was like a bullet to substantia nigra resulting in immediate and long lasting damage. This compound gave an insight into the the role of environmental causes in the genesis of Parkinson's disease.
The addicts had a very bad outcome. They became immobile and mute - truly " frozen addicts". Only some fortunate ones recovered. Others remained so for long periods.
The the case of the "frozen addicts" opened up a new chapter in the study of environmental toxins in the causation of PD. It also gave an insight into the animal studies in PD which is otherwise almost impossible due to the insidious onset of the disease! Thus the "frozen addicts" came as invaluable research tools!
Barry from Maryland spent some time in India with his family He initially bought the medicines from the street. One day in 1976, he took the drug manufactured by him intravenously. He felt severe burning at the site of injection and a sense of euphoria. Within three days he became immobile and mute. He was admitted to a hospital with a diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia and was given phenothiazines to which he did not respond. He was promptly shifted to NIH where he was evaluated.Though the symptoms and signs closely mimicked Parkinson's disease, the suddenness of symptoms made them suspect a toxic etiology. Their research showed that he had tried to synthesize a chemical called MPPP ( related to Meperidine). He inadvertently overheated the mixture and synthesizes MPTP instead. They had come very close to the answer. The next step was to try the hypothesis in the rats. They injected the rats with the same compound. Rats are not as susceptible to the toxic effects of MPTP and the catatonic phase seen was temporary. This resulted in a setback and the further research did not get priority. The issue became dormant.
In 1979, Barry's case was published. L Dopa was tried. He improved significantly and the speech returned. In 1978, he died of cocaine overdose. In 1982, George was found to have similar syndrome. He was also having extrapyramidal syndrome - Diphenhydramine did not work. He rapidly worsened and became stiff and immobile. He was later evaluated at Stanford.
William Langston tried to find a connection. MPTP seemed to damage the mitochondria of dopaminergic neurons. Dopamine reuptake blockers could prevent this damage. L Dopa gave temporary relief . Drug holidays prolonged the response but eventually the drug stopped working. Eventually a steriotactic implantnation of fetal tissue was done in Lund, Sweden. This was tried in 2 patients George and Juanita and both did well.
The research showed that the compound, MPTP was like a bullet to substantia nigra resulting in immediate and long lasting damage. This compound gave an insight into the the role of environmental causes in the genesis of Parkinson's disease.
The addicts had a very bad outcome. They became immobile and mute - truly " frozen addicts". Only some fortunate ones recovered. Others remained so for long periods.
The the case of the "frozen addicts" opened up a new chapter in the study of environmental toxins in the causation of PD. It also gave an insight into the animal studies in PD which is otherwise almost impossible due to the insidious onset of the disease! Thus the "frozen addicts" came as invaluable research tools!
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