title: Increased life expectancy resulting from addition of L-deprenyl to Madopar treatment in Parkinson's disease: a longterm study.
abstract: In an open, uncontrolled study the longterm (9 years) effect of treatment with Madopar alone (n = 377) or in combination with l-deprenyl (selegiline, selective monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor) (n = 564) have been compared in Parkinsonian patients. In patients who lost their response to conventional Madopar therapy the addition of l-deprenyl resulted in a significant recouping of levodopa effect. The survival analysis revealed a significant increase of life expectancy in Madopar--l-deprenyl group regardless of the fact whether or not the significant demographic differences between the two groups were taken into account. Although the mechanism underlying this action of l-deprenyl is not known, the results are interpreted as indicating l-deprenyl's ability to prevent or retard the degeneration of striatal dopaminergic neurons. l-Deprenyl is the first anti-Parkinson drug having such a property. This hypothesis is not far fetched since l-deprenyl selectively prevents the degeneration of striatal dopaminergic neurons induced in animals by the illicit drug 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Since latter compound is known to cause Parkinsonism in man and primates or Parkinson-like neurochemical and pathological changes in other animals the implications of the present study involving monoamine oxidase activity and l-deprenyl are apparent.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001545:Benserazide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012642:Selegiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D006834:Hydrazines; D010627:Phenethylamines; C005177:benserazide, levodopa drug combination; D012642:Selegiline; D007980:Levodopa; D001545:Benserazide