title: The role of selegiline in the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of selegiline in the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE (1966-January 2007) and PsychINFO (1967-January 2007) were searched, using the terms schizophrenia, negative symptoms, and selegiline. A bibliographic search was conducted, as well.
  
  
  METHODS
  All English-language articles identified from the search were evaluated. All primary literature was included in the review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on its dopamine-enhancing property, selegiline has been studied as augmentation to antipsychotic therapy for the treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The efficacy of low-dose oral selegiline for the treatment of negative symptoms has been evaluated in 1 case report, 2 open-label trials, and 2 controlled trials. The case report and both open-label trials report improvement of negative symptoms associated with low-dose oral selegiline. In 1 of the controlled trials, selegiline showed no difference in effect from that of placebo. These data are limited by small sample sizes. The largest controlled trial demonstrated a statistically significant difference between selegiline and placebo; however, the clinical significance is questionable, given that patients treated with selegiline were still experiencing marked negative symptoms at study completion. No comparative studies evaluating low-dose oral selegiline versus other augmentative treatment options for negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia exist at this time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the limitations of current literature, low-dose oral selegiline cannot be recommended for treatment of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Additional controlled trials are needed to better delineate whether there is a role for selegiline in decreasing the burden of negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
authors.forename: Krista D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Fohey
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hieber
authors.forename: Leigh Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012642:Selegiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D012642:Selegiline