Dopamine Agonists Used as Monotherapy in De Novo PD Patients: Comparisons With Selegiline

Department

neurology

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Studies indicate that selegiline, a monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor, slows progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) and delays th need for levodopa. While dopamine agonists alsodelay the need for levodopa because of their symptomatic, antiparkinsonian effect, only recently has it been proposed that agonists may alsohave a protective effect. When dopamine agonistsare used as monotherapy in newly diagnosed PD patients, fewer patients improve than on levodopa, butfewer patients develop response fluctuations. This might indicate that dopamine agonistshave a protective, as well as a symptomatic, effect, as the lack of response fluctuations mayindicate that dopamine agonists protect nigralneurons. Response fluctuations may result fromdestructionof nigral neurons.

Medical Subject Headings

neurology

Publication Date

1992

Publication Title

Neurology

ISSN

0028-3878

Volume

42

First Page

37

Last Page

40

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