Parkinson’s Drug Shows Promise in Treating Stubborn Depression
A drug commonly prescribed to treat Parkinson’s disease has shown encouraging results in reducing symptoms of hard-to-treat depression, according to new findings from a University of Oxford-led trial.
The medication, called pramipexole, was tested in patients with persistent depressive symptoms who had not responded to standard treatments like SSRIs. The trial involved 60 participants and found that those receiving pramipexole showed a “significant” reduction in depression symptoms compared to those given a placebo.
The results, published in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that pramipexole’s action on dopamine receptors may offer a new avenue for people with depression that resists current therapies. The drug is already approved for Parkinson’s and restless leg syndrome, but this marks one of the most detailed investigations into its psychiatric potential.
"Many patients with depression don't respond to existing medications, and we urgently need new options," said lead researcher Catherine Harmer, professor of cognitive neuroscience at Oxford. “Pramipexole targets the brain’s dopamine system, which is not the main focus of most antidepressants. That may explain why it helps when other treatments fail.”
Participants took part in a 12-week randomized trial, with doses of pramipexole gradually increased to typical therapeutic levels. Those on the drug reported noticeable improvements in mood, motivation, and pleasure, symptoms often tied to dopamine dysfunction.
However, researchers caution that pramipexole can have side effects, including nausea and a risk of impulsive behavior, so it may not be suitable for everyone. Larger and longer-term studies will be needed to confirm the findings and determine who might benefit most.
Still, the study adds to a growing body of evidence that targeting different neurotransmitters, beyond just serotonin, could hold the key to tackling resistant forms of depression.
For now, pramipexole isn’t approved for depression, but this research may pave the way for its future use in mental health care.