Beneficial effect of pramipexole for motor function and depression in Parkinson’s disease

Original Research

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Authors: Osamu Kano, Ken Ikeda, Tetsuhito Kiyozuka, Konosuke Iwamoto, Hirono Ito, et al

Published Date February 2009 Volume 2008:4(4) Pages 707 - 710

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S2921

Osamu Kano^1,2, Ken Ikeda², Tetsuhito Kiyozuka², Konosuke Iwamoto², Hirono Ito², Yuji Kawase², Ryuta Sato², Toshiki Fujioka², Yo Araki², Shigeji Baba², Yasuo Iwasaki²

¹Department of Neurology, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, USA; ²Department of Neurology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: We examined whether pramipexole (PPX) can influence depressive scale in normal and mild depressive parkinsonian patients. In an open study of PPX as an add-on to L-dopa therapy or single administration, 36 nondemented outpatients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) were entered first. All were in the stage II or III of Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y). PPX were started at 0.125 mg/day and daily doses were increased to 1.5 mg/day. At 3 months after PPX treatment, patients were re-evaluated. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III, H&Y stage, and freezing of gait questionnaire were compared in patients before and after PPX treatment. These scores were significantly improved after PPX administration. There were no correlations between HAM-D and those motor functions. We suggest that PPX treatment has antidepressant effects in depressive PD patients and also ameliorates HAM-D score in nondepressive PD patients in addition to motor function.

Keywords: Parkinson disease, pramipexole, motor function, depression, antidepressant effect