Which anticholinergic agent is commonly used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease?

Benztropine is an anticholinergic agent commonly used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease primarily because it helps to alleviate symptoms such as tremors and rigidity. In Parkinson's disease, there is a deficiency of dopamine in the basal ganglia, which leads to an imbalance between dopaminergic and cholinergic activity. By blocking acetylcholine receptors, benztropine reduces the excess cholinergic activity that contributes to the motor symptoms associated with the disease.

This specific action makes benztropine particularly effective for treating the extrapyramidal side effects that can arise from antipsychotic medications, as well as for managing the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease itself. Other anticholinergic drugs, while they have their own uses, do not specifically target the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the same way. For example, oxybutynin is primarily used to treat overactive bladder, scopolamine is commonly used for motion sickness, and atropine is used in various settings including bradycardia and as an antidote for certain types of poisoning, but none of these are focused on the management of Parkinson's disease symptoms like benztropine.