Pramipexole is a non-ergot dopamine agonist that has been used to treat Parkinson's for several years now. Researchers are now studying whether or not this drug has neuroprotective properties and if it could possibly be used to help treat depression in PD.
Before we get into the latest research I want to define what a 'non-ergot' vs. ergot dopamine agonist is. A dopamine agonist is a compound that binds directly to dopamine receptors in the brain and can help relieve symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. An ergot compound is one that is derived from the ergot fungus, while a non-ergot compound is not. Many of the older dopamine agonist drugs were ergot dopamine agonists and they have now been associated with an increased risk for valvular heart disease because of their ability to act on serotonin (5-HT) receptors within the heart. The non-ergot dopamine agonists are not associated with this risk and tend to be used more prevalently today. (Note: Do not start or stop taking any medications without talking to your doctor. The author of this blog is not a doctor and is not offering medical advice.)
Pramipexole has been used to treat the general symptoms of Parkinson's for several years. That fact is not what interested me in this drug though.
The fascinating part to me is that researchers are now testing if this drug has neuroprotective abilities which could thereby slow the clinical progression of Parkinson's. Obviously that would be wonderful news for the PD community. There is currently a study called PROUD (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119308.php) taking place in the UK that is examining this question of neuroprotection using pramipexole. I will be watching for the results from this study.
Other research into pramipexole's uses that intrigues me is the study of whether or not pramipexole is able to help treat depression in Parkinson's. Since depression is estimated in 40-60% of PD patients and about 50% of these patients do not respond to the usual anti-depressants, news of a dopamine agonist having a positive effect in this area would be great. Researchers are studying the effect on depression by pramipexole alone and also as adjunctive therapy along with another anti-depressant. I am particularly interested in depression in Parkinson's as research seems to note that people with PD and depression have a lesser quality of life than those that remain more optimistic.
Disclaimer: I felt I needed to add an additional disclaimer to this post. I am not a doctor or a scientist and am not offering medical advice in this blog. I am merely offering up information that can be used by the PD community in the hopes of helping others. Please consult your doctor about any medical treatment questions you have.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Parkinson's Disease and Brain Prosthetics?"
Could “brain prosthetics” be the futuristic fix for Parkinson’s Disease. Given the fact that Deep Brain Stimulation already uses neural implants hooked up to a type of pacemaker, I say Why Not?
US News and World Report recently had an article about neuroengineers and some neuroengineering work at MIT that could potentially be applied to treat Parkinson’s Disease. (I have to say that I find it fascinating that a discipline such as neuroengineering even exists. Just think if you’d heard about this type of work 20 years ago and what you would have thought.) The article talked about research into robotic exoskeletons, better prosthetic arms and legs, and the most interesting to me, the development of a “tiny LED light switch” that could be implanted into the brain to treat patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s or blindness. The idea is to use this tiny device as a “stoplight, turning neurons on and off in a thousandth of a second.”
Obviously this type of research having real life applications is a little ways off, but I have no doubt that we will see these ideas and therapies becoming realities in the next 10 years. I highly recommend reading this short article. It won’t take you more than 5 minutes.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/medical-science/2008/07/24/will-upgrades-enhance-our-bodies.html
US News and World Report recently had an article about neuroengineers and some neuroengineering work at MIT that could potentially be applied to treat Parkinson’s Disease. (I have to say that I find it fascinating that a discipline such as neuroengineering even exists. Just think if you’d heard about this type of work 20 years ago and what you would have thought.) The article talked about research into robotic exoskeletons, better prosthetic arms and legs, and the most interesting to me, the development of a “tiny LED light switch” that could be implanted into the brain to treat patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s or blindness. The idea is to use this tiny device as a “stoplight, turning neurons on and off in a thousandth of a second.”
Obviously this type of research having real life applications is a little ways off, but I have no doubt that we will see these ideas and therapies becoming realities in the next 10 years. I highly recommend reading this short article. It won’t take you more than 5 minutes.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/medical-science/2008/07/24/will-upgrades-enhance-our-bodies.html
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
