Parkinson’s medication delivers breakthrough relief from enduring depression

Pramipexole Offers Hope for Depression Resistant to Standard Treatment

University of Oxford researchers have demonstrated that the Parkinson’s disease medication pramipexole can meaningfully reduce symptoms in patients with treatment‑resistant depression (TRD) when added to ongoing antidepressant therapy.

Trial Design and Recruitment

• 150 adults diagnosed with TRD received either 48 weeks of pramipexole or a placebo, while continuing their prescribed antidepressant.
• Participants were drawn from UK clinics funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the MH‑TRC Mission mood disorder network.
• The study was double‑blind, placebo‑controlled, and published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Key Findings

Rapid Symptom Relief – By week 12, patients on pramipexole experienced a significant drop in depressive symptoms, with benefits persisting throughout the year.

Side‑Effect Profile – Common adverse events included nausea, sleep disturbance, and dizziness. Roughly 20 % of participants discontinued the medication due to side effects.

Expert Commentary

Professor Michael Browning, head of the Department of Psychiatry, emphasized the clinical significance:

“Finding an effective addition for patients who have failed first‑line interventions remains an urgent priority. These results represent a breakthrough for those whose depression has not responded to conventional therapies.”

He highlighted the mechanism of action:

“Pramipexole is licensed for Parkinson’s; it boosts dopamine. Unlike most antidepressants which target serotonin, this dopaminergic approach may explain why it was so helpful.”

Future Directions

Further research is needed to:

• Mitigate side effects and improve tolerability.
• Assess cost‑effectiveness compared to other add‑on strategies.
• Compare efficacy with lithium, antipsychotics, and other emerging treatments.

Background and Context

Previous studies suggested pramipexole could alleviate depression, but data on long‑term outcomes and safety remained limited. Current guidelines recommend adding lithium or antipsychotics to ongoing antidepressants, yet effectiveness is variable and coverage incomplete.

Publication Title

“Pramipexole augmentation for the acute phase of treatment‑resistant, unipolar depression: a placebo‑controlled, double‑blind, randomised trial in the UK.”