A trial of L-Deprenyl for the treatment of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism

This study examined the potential of L-Deprenyl, a selective monoamine oxid ase-B (MAO-B) inhibitor, for the treatment of neuroleptic-induced parkinson ism (NIP). Thirty-one consecutive schizophrenic or schizophreniform patient s were treated with haloperidol in a flexible dose design. Nineteen of them developed NIP and were administered adjunctive L-Deprenyl 10 mg/d for six weeks in an open fixed-dose design. One patient had to be withdrawn from th e study because of exacerbation of the NIP. Severity of NIP was mild to mod erate throughout the whole study period in all other cases. Five patients w ere considered to require biperiden 2-4 mg/d in addition to L-Deprenyl afte r two weeks of treatment, although they did not differ from the other 13 pa tients in any of the variables studied. A significant improvement in NIP wa s found in both groups of patients, with no psychotic exacerbation or a cha nge in the dosage of haloperidol. These findings suggest that selective MAO -B inhibitors may be effective in some patients with mild to moderate NIP.