Dopamine receptor agonists for Parkinson's disease

INTRODUCTION

Prolonged administration of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) for Parkinson's disease (PD) is hampered by motor complications related to the progressive incapacity of residual nigrostriatal neurons to properly utilize the drug. Direct stimulation of dopaminergic (DAergic) receptors with specific compounds (DA agonists) has, therefore, become an additional therapeutic tool for PD.

AREAS COVERED

DA agonists have considerable anti-parkinsonian symptomatic efficacy, although they are less potent than l-DOPA. This review summarizes pre-clinical and clinical data on DA agonists and their role in treating PD. Specific focus was put on second-generation, first-line non-ergolinic DA agonists and their motor, non-motor and putative neuroprotective effects. The anti-parkinsonian potential of recently developed DA agonists that reached Phase II and III clinical trials was also addressed.

EXPERT OPINION

DA agonists can be useful along the whole natural course of PD, as monotherapy in the initial phase or combined with l-DOPA in advanced PD. Extended-release formulations have been developed for second-generation DA agonists, which are better appreciated by patients. Neuroprotective properties have been proposed for DA agonists, based on pre-clinical studies, but never convincingly demonstrated in patients. New DA agonists, with better symptomatic efficacy and devoid of the side effects that characterize current compounds, are needed.

The serotonergic system in Parkinson's disease

Although the cardinal manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD) are attributed to a decline in dopamine levels in the striatum, a breadth of non-motor features and treatment-related complications in which the serotonergic system plays a pivotal role are increasingly recognised. Serotonin (5-HT)-mediated neurotransmission is altered in PD and the roles of the different 5-HT receptor subtypes in disease manifestations have been investigated. The aims of this article are to summarise and discuss all published preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated the serotonergic system in PD and related animal models, in order to recapitulate the state of the current knowledge and to identify areas that need further research and understanding.