Aripiprazole in l-dopa-induced dyskinesias: a one-year open-label pilot study

• Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission Vol. 116; no. 7; pp. 881 - 884
• Main Authors: Meco, Giuseppe, Stirpe, Paola, Edito, Fabrizio, Purcaro, Carlo, Valente, Marcella, Bernardi, Silvia, Vanacore, Nicola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01-07-2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists - pharmacology; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amantadine - pharmacology; Antiparkinson Agents - adverse effects; Antiparkinson Agents - antagonists & inhibitors; Antipsychotic Agents - administration & dosage; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Aripiprazole; Basal Ganglia - drug effects; Basal Ganglia - metabolism; Basal Ganglia - physiopathology; Dopamine - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions - physiology; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - drug therapy; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - metabolism; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced - physiopathology; Female; Humans; Levodopa - adverse effects; Levodopa - antagonists & inhibitors; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mianserin - analogs & derivatives; Mianserin - pharmacology; Middle Aged; Movement Disorders - Short Communication; Neurology; Neurosciences; Pilot Projects; Piperazines - administration & dosage; Piperazines - adverse effects; Psychiatry; Quinolones - administration & dosage; Quinolones - adverse effects; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - agonists; Receptors, Dopamine D2 - metabolism; Receptors, Serotonin - drug effects; Receptors, Serotonin - metabolism; Treatment Outcome; Aripiprazole; Parkinson’s disease; Dopa-induced dyskinesias
• ISSN: 0300-9564; 1435-1463
• DOI: 10.1007/s00702-009-0231-z

Aripiprazole is a novel antipsychotic medication characterized by partial agonism at the D2 and 5-HT1A receptors and by antagonism at the 5-HT2A receptor. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in an open-label pilot study, the effects and safety of very small doses of aripiprazole on
l
-dopa-induced dyskinesia of a group of PD patients who did not show a significant clinical benefit by pharmacological treatment with amantadine and mirtazapine. Twelve PD patients with peak-dose LID were enrolled in a period of 1 year. Aripiprazole dosage was of 0.625 mg/day. The ten patients who continued taking aripiprazole displayed a significant decrease in the intensity and frequency of dyskinesias in all parts of the body, particularly in trunk movements (AIMS score
T
0
 = 14.1 ± 3.6 vs. final score 2.4. ± 2.6;
P
 = 0.005). Our study suggests that aripiprazole at very low doses is tolerated and could be efficacy in treating LID.