Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
Published on: April 29, 2007
[Therapy of Parkinson's disease--up to date]
1Department of Neurology, National Center Hospital of Neurology & Psychiatry.
Abstract:
The prognosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been improved with developing anti-parkinsonian agents. Recently the re-evaluation of L-dopa and dopamine agonists is the topic in the world based on focusing non motor side effects of dopamine agonists such as sudden uncontrollable somnolence and valvulopathy in place of motor complication. The development of anti-parkinsonian drugs based on the new mechanism has been progressed such as CEP-1347, AAV-neuturin, AAV-GAD, and AAV-DDC. The most reliable new drug is zonisamide which is originally synthesized in Japan for epilepsy. A nation-wide randomized double blind study showed that Zonisamide improves motor function of advanced PD patients. Long-term efficacy was also shown. The mechanism of zonisamide for PD is the increase of dopamine synthesis and moderate inhibition of monoamine oxydase B activity. Inhibitatory effects of sodium channel and T-type calcium channel may also affects. Zonisamide has neuroprotective effects though inhibition of quinoprotein and increasing the levels of GSH and Mn SOD. Up to now we have no agents with clinically evidenced neuroprotective effects for PD. Base on the results of ELLDOPA study and "delayed start" clinical trials the most important concept for neuroprotection may be the early dopaminergic support for the degenerating dopaminergic system.
Related Concept Videos
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of its...
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction
EPS and iPS Cells in Disease Research
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications