Levodopa primarily improves which motor symptom of Parkinson disease?

Levodopa primarily improves which motor symptom of Parkinson disease?

• A. Memory loss
• B. Tremor
• C. Bradykinesia
• D. Seizures

Answer: (C)

Levodopa replenishes brain dopamine, addressing the dopamine deficit that leads to slowed, difficult movement in Parkinson disease. The symptom that most reliably improves with this dopaminergic restoration is bradykinesia—the slowness and difficulty initiating and executing movements. This is the hallmark motor impairment that often limits daily activities, and it tends to respond best to therapy with levodopa. Tremor and rigidity can also improve, but to a lesser or more variable extent, while memory loss and seizures are not primary motor features of Parkinson disease and are not the main targets of levodopa.

Levodopa replenishes brain dopamine, addressing the dopamine deficit that leads to slowed, difficult movement in Parkinson disease. The symptom that most reliably improves with this dopaminergic restoration is bradykinesia—the slowness and difficulty initiating and executing movements. This is the hallmark motor impairment that often limits daily activities, and it tends to respond best to therapy with levodopa. Tremor and rigidity can also improve, but to a lesser or more variable extent, while memory loss and seizures are not primary motor features of Parkinson disease and are not the main targets of levodopa.