DATATOP - A DECADE OF NEUROPROTECTIVE INQUIRY

In 1987, the DATATOP clinical trial was initiated to examine the benef its of deprenyl (selegiline) and a-tocopherol in slowing the progressi on of Parkinson's disease (PD). After 14 +/- 6 (mean +/- SD) months of controlled observation, deprenyl 10 mg/day was found to significantly delay the time until enough disability developed to warrant the initi ation of levodopa therapy. This effect was largely sustained during th e overall 8.2 years of observation, including open-label deprenyl trea tment and a second treatment randomization to continue deprenyl or swi tch to placebo. There were no accompanying benefits of deprenyl in pos tponing levodopa-related adverse effects or extending life. cw-Tocophe rol produced no benefits. The 2.1% per year mortality rate of the DATA TOP cohort was remarkably low, about the same as an age-matched popula tion without PD. Neuroprotective therapy remains an elusive goal for t he experimental therapeutics of PD. Advances in understanding pathogen esis, a robust pipeline of rational treatments, and the advent of vali d and reliable biologic markers hold promise in the coming decade for developing and achieving neuroprotective therapies for PD.