title: Efficacy and safety of the dopaminergic stabilizer Pridopidine (ACR16) in patients with Huntington's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the dopaminergic stabilizer pridopidine (ACR16) in patients with Huntington's disease (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-week trial, patients with HD received pridopidine (50 mg/d, n = 28) or placebo (n = 30). The primary outcome measure was the change from baseline in weighted cognitive score, assessed by cognitive tests (Symbol Digit Modalities, verbal fluency, and Stroop tests). Secondary outcome measures included changes in the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire, Reitan Trail-Making Test A, and Clinical Global Impression of Change. Safety assessments were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between pridopidine and placebo in the change from baseline of the weighted cognitive score. However, secondary measures such as affective symptoms showed trends toward improvement, and there was significant improvement in voluntary motor symptoms compared with placebo (P < 0.05). Pridopidine was well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pridopidine shows promise as a treatment for some of the symptoms of HD. In this small-scale study, the most notable effect was improvement in voluntary motor symptoms. Larger, longer-term trials are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Prima Psychiatry, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. anderslundin1@gmail.com
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.forename: Espen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dietrichs
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Göller
authors.forename: Arvid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiberg
authors.forename: Ghada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loutfi
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Widner
authors.forename: Klas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiktorin
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wiklund
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Svenningsson
authors.forename: Clas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sonesson
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tedroff
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D010880:Piperidines; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; C483720:pridopidine; D004298:Dopamine