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Switch from selegiline to rasagiline is beneficial in patients with Parkinson’s disease

  • Neurology and Preclinical Neurological Studies - Original Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

The objective of this study is to demonstrate that application of rasagiline instead of selegiline with concomitant determination of l-amphetamine and l-methamphetamine in plasma is safe and well tolerated and influences sleep, mood, and motor behavior in patients with Parkinson’s disease on a stable drug therapy. 30 patients, who took 7.5 mg selegiline daily for at least 3 months, were switched to 1 mg rasagiline. Then they were followed over an interval of 4 months. The remaining drug therapy remained stable. This changeover was safe and well tolerated. l-Amphetamine and l-methamphetamine only appeared during selegiline treatment. Motor behavior, motor complications, mood and sleep improved during rasagiline administration. Amphetamine-like derivatives of selegiline could contribute to sleep disturbances, which may be involved in worsening of mood. Motor behavior and motor complications probably became better due to the additional glutamate receptor antagonizing properties of rasagiline in this open label study.

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Conflict of interest

Thomas Müller, Walter Dimpfel and Christian Oehlwein received honoraria for the performance of this trial. Josef Hoffmann is an employee of TEVA pharmaceuticals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, St. Joseph-Hospital, Gartenstr. 1, 13088, Berlin, Germany

    Thomas Müller

  2. TEVA Pharma GmbH, Moerfelden-Walldorf, Germany

    Josef A. Hoffmann

  3. University of Giessen c/o Neurocode AG, Wetzlar, Germany

    Walter Dimpfel

  4. Private Practice, Gera, Germany

    Christian Oehlwein

Authors
  1. Thomas Müller
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  2. Josef A. Hoffmann
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  3. Walter Dimpfel
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  4. Christian Oehlwein
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas Müller.

Additional information

Trial Number: EudraCT-Nr.: 2008-002145-22. This trial was supported by TEVA Germany.

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Müller, T., Hoffmann, J.A., Dimpfel, W. et al. Switch from selegiline to rasagiline is beneficial in patients with Parkinson’s disease. J Neural Transm 120, 761–765 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0927-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0927-3

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