Dr. Arvid Carlsson passed away this past Friday at the age of 95. His research into dopamine led to the development of treatments for Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease that involves tremors and rigidity.
Dr. Carlsson showed that dopamine was a neurotransmitter and that it is critical to movement. Dopamine is depleted in Parkinson’s disease and the drug L-dopa can be used to treat patients with this neurological disease.
Dr. Carlsson’s findings earned him the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with noted American researchers Dr. Eric Kandel and Paul Greengard.
UCI MIND is grateful for the work of pioneering dementia researchers, like Dr. Arvid Carlsson, as we build upon their knowledge and research ways to make memories last a lifetime.
