title: Treatment of the symptoms of Huntington's disease: preliminary results comparing aripiprazole and tetrabenazine.
abstract: Aripiprazole (AP), a dopamine (DA) D(2) receptor partial agonist, has recently been used to reduce schizophrenic symptoms, while tetrabenazine (TBZ), a DA depletor, has been used to treat hyperkinesias in Huntington's disease (HD). The aim of this study is to define the role of AP on chorea, motor performance, and functional disability, and to compare the effects of AP vs. TBZ in a small study of six patients with HD. Both AP and TBZ increased the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) chorea score in a similar way. However, AP caused less sedation and sleepiness than TBZ and was better tolerated by the patients on the trial. Moreover, AP showed a slight but not significant improvement of depression in the patients as compared to TBZ. A larger group of patients and a longer period of observation are an important prerequisite for further evaluations of AP's therapeutic use.
authors.affiliation: UOC Neurologia, Ospedale Sant'Eugenio, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brusa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orlacchio
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moschella
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iani
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Nicola Biagio
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Mercuri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D013747:Tetrabenazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; C086055:HTT protein, human; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D013747:Tetrabenazine