title: The efficacy of combined estrogen and buspirone treatment in olivopontocerebellar atrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease with symptoms of cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, autonomic disturbances and ophthalmoplegia. Buspirone, a 5-HT1(A) agonist could constitute a symptomatic improvement in cerebellar dysfunction whereas estrogen has been investigated for neuroprotection. We conducted an open-labeled pilot trial to assess the efficacy of estrogen with buspirone treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients (7 male and 11 female) with OPCA were randomized into the buspirone (15 mg/day, n=9), or the combined treatment group (estrogen, 0.625 mg/d plus buspirone, n=9). For the clinical rating, International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) was used and dysarthria, gaze evoked nystagmus, finger to nose, pronation-supination alternating movement, knee-tibia test, and gait speed were evaluated for 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Buspirone-treated group showed improvements in finger to nose and pronation-supination alternating movement test (p=0.046 and p=0.025, respectively). The combination group (Estrogen+buspirone), however, showed no improvement in cerebellar sub-scales compared to the baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Buspirone treatment showed feasible efficacies for OPCA, while the combined treatment of estrogen and buspirone failed to improve, suggesting estrogen may not have further benefit in cerebellar dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyeok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Soon-Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Manho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002065:Buspirone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009849:Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D002065:Buspirone