Use of Sinemet in locked-in syndrome: a report of two cases

Abstract

Locked-in syndrome describes a neurological condition usually associated with infarction of the ventral pons. Such patients are diagnosed with quadriplegia, lower cranial nerve paralysis, and mutism. The patient is alert but communication is severely limited and usually is accomplished by blinking or using vertical eye movements. The rehabilitative management of locked-in syndrome has consisted of preventative and supportive measures. In this study we report two cases of locked-in syndrome which were treated successfully with Sinemet (DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, DE). Even though the exact neuropharmacological mechanism is unclear, the dramatic improvement in these cases, as well as in one other published case report, dictates that use of Sinemet should be considered in the management of locked-in syndrome.