Depression Resistant to Treatment? Parkinson's Drug Could Be a Breakthrough

British scientists from the University of Oxford have discovered that pramipexole, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease, can effectively alleviate symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. The study, which included 150 patients, showed significant mood improvements after just 12 weeks of therapy. Although the drug also caused side effects, for many patients it was the first real help after years of unsuccessful attempts.

Parkinson's drug to treat depression?

Pramipexole, previously known mainly as a drug for Parkinson's disease, is gaining a new use. Researchers from the University of Oxford have shown that it can provide relief to people with so-called treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which is depression that does not respond to standard antidepressants.

This is the largest clinical trial of its type to date, involving 150 patients who took either pramipexole or placebo for 48 weeks while continuing their current treatment.

The drug did not act on serotonin, like most antidepressants, but instead affected dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward. Professor Michael Browning, who led the study, explains:

Phil Harvey, a 72-year-old patient from Oxfordshire who took part in the study, puts it bluntly:

Before starting the study, he tried many pills and therapies. Nothing helped. Only pramipexole brought noticeable improvement.

Not without side effects

The drug did not work flawlessly. About 20% of patients dropped out of the study because of side effects such as nausea, dizziness or sleep disturbances. This shows that while pramipexole can be effective, it is not without its therapeutic challenges.

Source: medicalxpress.com