Growdon J H, Hirsch M J, Wurtman R J, Wiener W
N Engl J Med. 1977 Sep 8;297(10):524-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197709082971002.
We gave pharmacologic doses of choline to patients with tardive dyskinesia in an attempt to suppress involuntary facial movements. Choline is the physiologic precursor of acetylcholine, and its administration elevates brain acetylcholine levels in laboratory animals and, possibly, in human beings. Hence, we thought that its use could benefit patients with diseases like tardive dyskinesia, which is believed to result from deficient central cholinergic tone. Twenty patients with stable baccal-lingual-masticatory movements took oral doses of choline for two weeks according to a double-blind crossover protocol. Plasma choline levels rose from 12.4 +/- 1.0 to 33.5 +/- 2.5 nmol per milliliter (mean +/- S.E.M.; P less than 0.001) during this period. Choreic movements decreased in nine patients, worsened in one and were unchanged in 10. Thus, oral doses of choline can be useful in neurologic diseases in which an increase in acetylcholine release is desired.
我们给予迟发性运动障碍患者药理学剂量的胆碱，试图抑制不自主面部运动。胆碱是乙酰胆碱的生理前体，在实验动物甚至可能在人类中，给予胆碱会提高脑内乙酰胆碱水平。因此，我们认为使用胆碱可能有益于患有迟发性运动障碍这类疾病的患者，据信这类疾病是由中枢胆碱能张力不足所致。20例有稳定颊 - 舌 - 咀嚼运动的患者按照双盲交叉方案口服胆碱两周。在此期间，血浆胆碱水平从每毫升12.4±1.0纳摩尔升至33.5±2.5纳摩尔（均值±标准误；P<0.001）。舞蹈样动作在9例患者中减少，1例患者中加重，10例患者中无变化。因此，口服胆碱对希望增加乙酰胆碱释放的神经系统疾病可能有用。
