Effects of monotherapy with a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor on motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease are dependent on frontal function.

Abstract

Monotherapy with monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitors enhances the level of endogenous dopamine in treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) and provides some benefits. Certain neuropsychiatric functions are also regulated by central dopaminergic activity. To investigate the relationship of the efficacy of monotherapy with MAO-B inhibitors on motor symptoms in PD with baseline cognitive function. Outcomes were examined for 27 consecutive drug-naïve PD patients who received initial treatment with a MAO-B inhibitor (selegiline: 11, rasagiline: 16). Selegiline was titrated to an optimal dose. The dose of rasagiline was fixed at 1mg/day. Motor symptoms were assessed using the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III before treatment and after the efficacy reached a plateau within 19weeks after drug initiation, and the % improvement in motor symptoms was calculated. Pre-treatment cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Correlations of % improvement in motor symptoms and baseline cognitive assessments were examined using Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis. In all patients, the mean % improvement in motor symptoms was 46.5% (range 0-83.3%). Spearman correlation coefficients showed the % improvement in motor symptoms was correlated with FAB (r = 0.631, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis with patient background factors as independent variables, only FAB was associated with improvement in motor symptoms in the MAO-B group. Better FAB scores predict a significant improvement in motor symptoms with treatment with MAO-B inhibitors, suggesting high activity of endogenous dopamine.