Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Catechol-O-methyltransferase Inhibitors

Definition

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors are a class of medication used in combination with levodopa and carbidopa in the treatment of symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). COMT inhibitors such as tolcapone and entacapone optimize the active transport of levodopa to the central nervous system (CNS) and allow the administration of lower doses of both levodopa and carbidopa, which decreases or even prevents the side effects related to these two drugs.

Purpose

Levodopa is a drug that helps to supplement dopamine, a neurotransmitter, to the brain of persons with PD. A neurotransmitter is a chemical that is released during a nerve impulse that transmits information from one nerve cell to another. In PD, levels of the...